The FIR, registered in August 2024, accused Ranjith of inviting the actress to his apartment for a film discussion, where he allegedly held her hand and attempted to touch her inappropriately.
Published Oct 28, 2025 | 12:07 AM ⚊ Updated Oct 28, 2025 | 12:07 AM
Ranjith Balakrishnan.
The Kerala High Court has quashed criminal proceedings against Malayalam film director Ranjith in connection with a 2009 case alleging that he tried to outrage the modesty of an actress.
The FIR, registered in August 2024, accused Ranjith of inviting the actress to his apartment for a film discussion, where he allegedly held her hand and attempted to touch her inappropriately.
He was booked under Sections 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) and 509 (word, gesture, or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) of the IPC.
Justice C Pratheep Kumar, while allowing the petition to quash the case pending before the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Court, Ernakulam, observed that the cognizance of the offence was taken after an inordinate delay.
According to Bar and Bench, the court order read: “Since the maximum punishment provided for the offence under Section 364and 509 IPC as on the date of the offence was only two years and as per Section 468 CrPC, the period of limitation was only 3 years from the date of commission of offence. The learned Magistrate was not justified in taking cognizance to the offence after a period of more than 15 years. In the above circumstance, the proceedings against the petitioner are liable to be quashed by invoking the power under Section 528 of BNSS. In the result, this criminal MC is allowed and further proceedings against the petitioner in pursuance to crime … stands quashed.”
According to the complaint, the incident took place in an apartment in Kadavanthra, Kochi.
The case came to light after the actress disclosed the alleged incident during a television interview following the release of the Hema Committee report. This was the first case registered based on revelations made in the wake of the report.
The complaint was initially filed with Kochi City Police Commissioner Shyam Sundar and was taken over by the SIT.
(Edited by Sumavarsha, with inputs from Dileep V Kumar)
