Actor moves SC to quash SIT probe

Kochi: In a major move that may have serious implications on the ongoing investigations based on the statements given before the Justice K Hema Committee, actor Mala Parvathy approached the Supreme Court on Friday with a demand to quash the proceedings initiated by the special investigation team (SIT) based on her statements before the committee.In her petition, the actor has said that she doesn't want to proceed with the case registered based on her statement, as her statement was only intended to initiate a study on the issues faced by women in Malayalam film industry and to push for laws that would create a safer working environment."The SIT contacted me earlier and I informed them that I don't want to register a case. But the team registered a case based on my statement regarding the incident that happened in 2019. The police team intervened in the issue. Now, I don't want anyone to be probed or questioned based on my statement. I don't want to create issues for any innocent people. So, I demand the court quash all proceedings regarding that particular incident," Parvathy said.Meanwhile, she said that she was not demanding to stop the investigation of all cases registered based on the statements given before the committee. "My intention with the secret statement was not to start a police investigation. It was only to refine the film industry," she said.Meanwhile, it is considered that the SC's final decision on the petition filed by Parvathy will have an impact on the ongoing investigation of all cases registered by the SIT.There are reports that the Women in Cinema Collective (WCC), which actively intervened in the issues related to the Hema Committee report, will strongly oppose the demand in the petition filed by Parvathy.Earlier, Malayalam producer Sajimon Parayil had approached the SC with a similar demand to quash cases registered based on his statements before the Hema Committee. Responding to the petition, state govt informed the SC that SIT cannot stop the investigation of a single case registered by it and the investigation team will go ahead with the probe even if the person who gave the statement opposes it.Earlier, actor Ranjini had approached the Kerala High Court challenging the publication of the Hema Committee report.