Malayalam film director Ranjith is now in police custody after being arrested on sexual harassment allegations, sparking legal debate over arrest procedures and Supreme Court guidelines.
Key Points
- Malayalam director Ranjith has been arrested and remanded in police custody for three days following sexual harassment allegations made by an actress.
- The court granted police custody until Monday evening, while Ranjith's bail petition, citing innocence and health concerns, will be considered later.
- Ranjith's counsel argues the arrest violated Supreme Court guidelines, as the alleged offence may not warrant immediate arrest without prior notice.
- The defence highlights concerns about potential misuse of arrest powers based on allegations, questioning the adherence to legal procedures.
A court on Saturday granted three days' police custody of Malayalam director Ranjith, who was arrested in connection with an alleged sexual harassment incident on a film shooting set.
Ernakulam Chief Judicial Magistrate Selmath RM allowed the petition filed by the police seeking custody of Ranjith for three days, granting it until Monday evening.
Ranjith was produced in the court from the Ernakulam sub-jail, where he had been lodged for the past three days.
He also filed a bail petition in the case, claiming innocence.
Ranjith's counsel argued that the arrest was carried out without following due procedure and cited his health condition while seeking bail. The court said it would consider the bail plea later.
Ranjith was arrested on Tuesday night in Thodupuzha after an actress approached the police, alleging that he had sexually harassed her inside a caravan during a film shoot in Fort Kochi.
Legal Arguments and Defence
Meanwhile, advocate S Rajeev, representing Ranjith, told reporters that the arrest violated Supreme Court directions.
"The Supreme Court has specifically directed that an arrest can be made only in offences attracting more than seven years of punishment. Otherwise, a notice should be issued to the accused, or adequate reasons must be stated before the court," he said.
Rajeev added that Ranjith has several health issues, which were also raised before the court when the police custody application was considered.
He said the bail application has been posted for April 7, and that Ranjith would be produced again in the court on April 6.
He further noted that a situation has emerged where anyone could be arrested based on such allegations, warning that this is becoming a trend.
"If arrests are made in this manner, why is the Supreme Court there? This is a flagrant violation of Supreme Court directions," he said.
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