Malayalam director-producer Ranjith arrested over alleged sexual assault charges

Ernakulam (Keralam) [India], April 1 (ANI): Prominent Malayalam director-producer Ranjith was arrested following an alleged sexual assault complaint filed against him by a young actress, as per police officials.
The complaint was filed by an actress who is part of his latest directorial venture, with the alleged incident said to have taken place during the shooting of the movie.

As per the complaint, the actress alleged that Ranjith tried to assault her at the film location. Based on her statement, a case has been registered under multiple sections, including outraging the modesty of a woman, sexual assault, wrongful confinement and making obscene gestures.
According to a Thodupuzha police official, Ranjith was brought from the Thodupuzha police station to Kochi. Subsequently, he was taken to Ernakulam General Hospital by the Ernakulam Central Police for a medical examination, which is a mandatory procedure under the law.
This is not the first time Ranjith has faced such allegations. In 2024, he stepped down as the chairman of the Kerala Chalachitra Academy after harassment claims were made by Bengali actor Sreelekha Mitra, though he had denied those allegations at the time.
The earlier controversy had sparked strong reactions across Keralam's film industry, with several actors, directors, and industry members publicly calling for his resignation. (ANI)