Kerala HC directs SIT to investigate alleged use of drug, alcohol on film sets

Kochi (Kerala) [India], October 14 (ANI): The Kerala High Court has directed the SIT to conduct an investigation and take the necessary action as contemplated under law into the “rampant use of alcohol/drugs in the film shooting sets and other connected workplaces” as found in the Hema Committee report.

“Necessary steps as and when required shall be taken in future also to prevent such rampant use of alcohol/drugs at shooting locations and other connected work sites, which use are in violation of the relevant provisions of law”, the court noted.

HC after going through the entire Justice Hema Committee report including the redacted portion said that the statement of many witnesses recorded by the Committee reveals the commission of cognizable offences.

The court asked SIT to take precautions to ensure that the name of the victim/ survivor is not revealed or made public.

“The name of the victim/ survivor shall be masked in the FIS/FIR. The SIT shall ensure that the copy of the FIS is not uploaded or made public. The copy of the same shall not be issued to any person except to the victim/survivor (Sec.173(2) BNSS)”, observed the court.

The court also reiterated that there cannot be any compulsion of the witnesses to give statements.

In August, a redacted version of the Justice Hema Committee report on the harassment faced by women in the Malayalam cinema industry was made public. It contained distressing accounts of harassment, exploitation, and mistreatment of women professionals.

The 235-page report, published with the names of witnesses and accused redacted, notes that the Malayalam film industry is controlled by a “power group” including 10 to 15 male producers, directors, and actors who dominate and exert control over the industry.

The report, prepared by a three-member panel led by a former judge of the Kerala High Court and set up by the state government in 2017, was submitted to the Pinarayi Vijayan-led Kerala government in December 2019 and was made public in August 2024 after some reporters sought it through right to information.

The government has formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the challenges faced by women in the industry.