(MENAFN- Live Mint) actor Jayasurya has broken his silence on the two sexual harassment allegations against him, saying he has decided to move forward“legally”. Rejecting all sexual harassment charges terming them as lies, Jayasurya said,“False allegations are easy to make for anyone who lacks a conscience.”
In an Instagram post, Jayasurya wrote,“To all of you who have wished me on my birthday today, to all of you who are extending your support and standing by me, thank you. Due to my personal commitments, my family and I have been in America for the past month, and during this time, two false allegations on the grounds of sexual harassment were made against me. Quite naturally, it has shattered me, my family and everyone who has held me close.”
Also Read: Kerala police register FIRs against actors Mukesh and Jayasurya amid Hema Committee row
“I have decided to move forward with this legally. My legal team will be looking after the rest of the proceedings regarding this case. False allegations are easy to make for anyone who lacks a conscience. I only hope one realises that facing a false accusation of harassment is just as painful as the harassment itself,” he noted.
He further said,“A lie always travels faster than the truth but I believe truth will prevail. I will be back as soon as I finish my work here. All the legal proceedings to prove my innocence will continue. I have complete faith in our judicial system. Thank you to those who contributed to making this birthday the most painful one. Let those who have not sinned throw stones; but only at those who have sinned.”
After the release of Hema Committee report , many artists from the Malayalam film industry came forward with charges of sexual harassment. Sonia Malhar, who filed a complaint of sexual harassment against actor Jayasurya, recently shared details about the alleged incident, ANI reported.
Also Read: Hema Committee report reveals exploitation in Malayalam film industry; women told to give sexual favours to get work
While speaking to the media, Malhar said,“It was the shooting location of the Malayalam movie Pigman in Thodupuzha. When I came out of the washroom, someone grabbed me. It was actor Jayasurya. I pushed him away. He apologized and told me that he wouldn't repeat it and that we should continue as friends.”
Also Read: Malayalam film industry faces Me Too storm: Second case of sexual assault filed against actor Jayasurya
Malhar also spoke about the criticism she faced after sharing her experience publicly.
“After the Hema committee report came out, I was sitting in a channel for discussion. The anchor asked me if I had faced any such experience. I explained it on air. Later, I was severely criticized on social media, with people saying my allegations were fake and questioning why I stayed silent for so long. Some even accused me of doing it for money,” she said.
An FIR was filed against actor Jayasurya on Friday following a complaint. The Kerala Police told ANI that the second FIR against Jayasurya was registered under sections 354, 354A(A1)(I), and 354D of the IPC.
The case, initially registered in Thiruvananthapuram, will be transferred to the Thodupuzha Police Station after recording the complainant's statement.
Also Read: #MeToo in Malayalam film industry: Male actor files complaint against Ranjith; evidence found against Siddique and more
Earlier on August 28, an FIR was registered against actor and CPI (M) MLA Mukesh M based on a complaint from actress Minu Muneer. The Kerala Police confirmed to ANI that the FIR was filed against Mukesh, an MLA from Kollam, following allegations made by Muneer.
Additionally, the police stated that another FIR against Jayasurya was filed based on the same actress's complaint, specifically under section 354, which addresses intent to outrage modesty.
Muneer has accused actors Mukesh M, Jayasurya, Maniyanpilla Raju, and Idavela Babu of both verbal and physical abuse during their work together on film projects. Speaking to ANI, Muneer described her experiences, saying,“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," she claimed.
Also Read: Malayalam actor Minu Muneer alleges sexual abuse: 'Pulled me on bed saying...'; Mukesh, Idavela Babu, Jayasurya under fire
Muneer's allegations were initially shared on her Facebook page, where she recounted a series of incidents dating back to 2013.
"I am writing to report a series of incidents of physical and verbal abuse I suffered at the hands of Mukesh, Maniyanpilla Raju, Idavela Babu, Jayasurya, Advocate Chandrasekharan, production controller Noble and Vichu," Muneer wrote.
(With inputs from ANI)
MENAFN01092024007365015876ID1108623273
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.