Malayalam actor Minu Muneer was arrested by the Ernakulam Cyber Crime Police on Monday, June 30, in a defamation case filed by veteran actor-director Balachandra Menon.
The arrest stems from allegations Minu had made against Menon earlier in 2024, accusing him of sexual misconduct. However, they released her the same day after presenting an anticipatory bail order granted by the Kerala High Court.
The incident traces back to the aftermath of the Hema Committee Report, which exposed widespread sexual harassment and abuse of power within the Malayalam film industry.
In response to the report, Minu Muneer took to social media and public platforms to name several individuals she alleged for inappropriate behaviour, including Balachandra Menon.
Menon denied all allegations and filed a formal complaint against Minu and another woman. In his complaint, Menon accused them of threatening him and attempting to tarnish his reputation through repeated public statements, interviews, and social media posts.
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He also alleged that Minu had shared his photos online and urged others to comment negatively about him.
Based on the complaint, the cyber police had registered a First Information Report (FIR) against Minu on October 2, 2024. The FIR cited multiple legal provisions: Section 351(2) of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (related to criminal intimidation), Sections 67 and 67A of the Information Technology Act (pertaining to sharing obscene or sexually explicit material electronically), and Section 120(O) of the Kerala Police Act (for actions against public order).
This isn’t the first time Minu has raised her voice against members of the Malayalam film fraternity. In August 2024, she filed a complaint with the Kerala police, accusing seven men from the industry of sexual harassment.
The list included actor and CPI(M) MLA Mukesh, actors Jayasurya, Edavela Babu, and Maniyanpilla Raju, production controllers Noble and Vichu, as well as VS Chandrasekharan, a film producer and the president of the Lawyers’ Congress.