Kerala: Actress withdraws sexual harrassment complaint against actor Mukesh M

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: An actress who had accused several prominent figures in the Malayalam film industry of sexual harassment has withdrawn her complaints. She informed the authorities, including the director-general of police (DGP), of her decision via email.

The actress said she withdrew her complaints because of a lack of government support. This comes after a relative filed a case against her under the POSCO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) Act. The actress maintains her innocence in the POSCO case and claims she did not receive support from the government to prove it.

Her initial complaints were against actors Mukesh M, Jayasurya, Maniyanpilla Raju, and Idavela Babu. She accused them of verbal and physical abuse during film projects. Her allegations came after a Justice Hema Committee report highlighted sexual harassment faced by some members of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA).

Earlier in August, the Kerala Police registered an FIR against actor and Communist Party of India (Marxist) or CPI(M) MLA from Kollam, Mukesh M.

"FIR has been registered against actor Mukesh, CPI (M) MLA from Kollam constituency. The FIR was registered on the basis of the complaint of an actress," Kerala Police said.

Describing her allegations against Jayasurya, the actress stated: "Once, as I was coming out from the toilet, Jayasurya hugged me from behind and even kissed me forcefully... After that, Idavela Babu expressed his interest in a sexual relationship with me."

The actress's decision to withdraw her complaints marks a significant development in the ongoing conversation about sexual harassment in the Malayalam film industry.
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