Kerala High Court grants bail to Balachandra Menon in 2007 sexual assault case, says men too have dignity

The Kerala High Court on Wednesday granted anticipatory bail to veteran actor and director Balachandra Menon in a case accusing him of outraging the modesty of a female actor during a 2007 film shoot. The court observed that men, like women, also have “pride and dignity.”

Justice PV Kunhikrishnan, while allowing Menon’s anticipatory bail plea, noted that the allegations were made 17 years after the alleged incident. The case was lodged in September this year following the release of the Justice Hema Committee report, which probed complaints of sexual abuse in Kerala’s film industry.

In his plea, Menon argued that the delay in filing the complaint was intended to tarnish his reputation. The court acknowledged this, stating, “It is an admitted fact that the victim filed the complaint after 17 years of the alleged incident. Based on the statement of a lady, that too after 17 years, the present case is registered. Everybody must remember that pride and dignity is not only to women, but to men also.”

The court directed Menon to appear before the investigating officer within two weeks and cooperate with the investigation. If the police decide to arrest him, he would be released on a bond of Rs 50,000 with two solvent sureties. The court also ordered Menon not to influence witnesses or obstruct the investigation in any manner.

The complaint led to an FIR under IPC sections relating to assault or use of criminal force to outrage a woman’s modesty, insulting the modesty of a woman, and criminal intimidation. Menon was granted interim protection from arrest on October 30, which was extended until the final order on his plea.

Menon, a Padma Shri awardee with over 40 films to his credit, has denied the allegations, asserting his commitment to cooperating with the investigation.

JUSTICE HEMA COMMITTEE REPORT

The Hema Committee, formed in 2017, was established following a petition by the Women in Cinema Collective to investigate issues of sexual harassment and gender inequality in the Malayalam film industry. The three-member committee, comprising retired High Court Justice K Hema, actor Sharada, and retired IAS officer KB Valsala Kumari, examined the industry’s treatment of women and provided recommendations after a series of shocking revelations, including sexual exploitation, discrimination, and a lack of a clear employer-employee relationship.