The Kerala Police has filed a first information report against director VA Shrikumar Menon based on a complaint of a junior artist accusing him of sexual harassment, The Hindu reported on Saturday.

The junior artist alleged that she was sexually harassed by Menon in a hotel room in Kochi in 2020 after he promised her an opportunity to work in an advertisement film, according to the newspaper.

The Maradu Police registered the case against the director after the junior artist sent a complaint via email, Mathrubhumi reported.

A case was registered under the Indian Penal Code section pertaining to the use of assault or criminal force against women with intent to outrage her modesty.

It was handed over to the Special Investigation Team set up to investigate the allegations of sexual abuse against several prominent members of the Malayalam film industry.

The junior artist is among several women from the Malayalam film industry who have come forward in recent weeks with allegations of sexual misconduct by their male colleagues following the release of the Justice Hema committee report.

Earlier this week, in a separate case, actor and Communist Party of India (Marxist) MLA M Mukesh was booked for rape based on a complaint by an actor.

Malayalam actor Jayasurya was also booked for allegedly sexually harassing a female artist in the state secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram on the sets of the film De Ingottu Nokkiye in 2008.

Jayasurya has been booked under Indian Penal Code sections pertaining to outraging the modesty of women, sexual harassment and words, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman.

In a separate case, senior actor Siddique has also been booked for allegedly raping a young actor. The actor accused Siddique of raping her at a hotel in Thiruvananthapuram in 2016.

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