Published Feb 10, 2026 | 1:54 PM ⚊ Updated Feb 10, 2026 | 1:54 PM
PT Kunju Muhammed. (Wikimedia Commons)
Synopsis: The Thiruvananthapuram Cantonment Police filed a charge sheet against Malayalam filmmaker and former legislator PT Kunju Muhammed in connection with a sexual assault complaint lodged by a woman filmmaker. The charges carry a maximum punishment of up to five years’ imprisonment.
The Thiruvananthapuram Cantonment Police in Kerala filed a charge sheet against noted Malayalam filmmaker and former CPI(M)-backed independent legislator PT Kunju Muhammed in connection with a sexual assault complaint lodged by a woman filmmaker.
The charges carry a maximum punishment of up to five years’ imprisonment.
The charge sheet, submitted before the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court–III in Thiruvananthapuram, last month, accuses Kunju Muhammed of groping and making unsolicited sexual advances towards the complainant inside a hotel room in the state capital on 6 November last year.
According to the police, the incident occurred at a posh hotel in Thiruvananthapuram where jury members were accommodated ahead of the 30th International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK).
At the time, Kunju Muhammed was serving as the chairman of the jury tasked with selecting Malayalam films for the festival.
Investigators said the accused invited the complainant, a documentary filmmaker and fellow jury member, to his suite room on the pretext of discussing the film selection process and her chances of securing a screening slot.
Once inside, the director allegedly made aggressive and unsolicited physical advances, prompting the woman to flee the room.
The charge sheet relies on multiple pieces of evidence, including hotel CCTV footage, which, police said, shows the complainant walking briskly near the room occupied by the accused around the time the alleged offence took place.
The woman has also given a confidential, in-camera, sworn statement before a judicial magistrate under Section 183 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS).
Police stated that her testimony corroborates key elements of the complaint.
The accused’s statement has also been recorded as part of the investigation.
After the alleged incident, it’s learnt that the complainant initially approached the Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) of the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy (KSCA).
The petition was later confirmed by Kukku Parameswaran, vice-chairperson of the KSCA.
Subsequently, the woman submitted a complaint to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on 27 November, following which the Chief Minister’s Office forwarded the matter to the Director General of Police (DGP).
Based on this, the Cantonment Police registered an FIR on 8 December.
Police have charged Kunju Muhammed under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including outraging the modesty of a woman, sexual harassment, insulting femininity, criminal intimidation, illegal detention and trespass.
The charges collectively attract a prison term of up to five years.
Kunju Muhammed was granted anticipatory bail by the Thiruvananthapuram 7th Additional Sessions Court on 20 December, subject to strict conditions, including a travel restriction.
On 24 December, the filmmaker appeared before the Cantonment Police, following which his arrest was formally recorded. He was released the same day in line with the anticipatory bail order.
Throughout the proceedings, Kunju Muhammed has denied all allegations, claiming the complaint arose from a “misunderstanding”.
He has repeatedly stated that he is willing to apologise if his actions were perceived as inappropriate.
During the anticipatory bail hearing, the prosecution countered the defence’s claim of political motivation, stating that the complainant was deeply traumatised by the incident and took time to recover before approaching authorities.
The prosecution also said there was nothing unusual in routing the complaint through the Chief Minister’s Office.
A veteran filmmaker known for acclaimed works such as Garshom (1999) and Paradesi (2007), Kunju Muhammed has also served as an independent MLA, backed by the CPI(M), from Perambra and is a familiar television personality who has spoken extensively on expatriate Malayali issues.
With the filing of the charge sheet, the case now moves into the trial phase, bringing renewed focus on allegations of abuse of power within the film industry and the conduct of senior figures in positions of authority.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil.)
