Supreme Court Grants Bail to Malayalam Actor Siddique in 2016 Rape Case

The court cited an eight-year delay in filing the complaint and social media backlash as key factors in its decision.

Siddique was accused by a female actor of sexual assault in 2016, but the complaint was filed only in 2024.
The Supreme Court criticized the delay in filing the FIR, noting the complainant had previously posted about the incident on Facebook in 2018.
The court required Siddique to surrender his passport and cooperate with the investigation as part of his bail conditions.
The Kerala High Court had previously denied Siddique's anticipatory bail, emphasizing the need for custodial interrogation.
The case emerged following the Justice Hema Commission report, which highlighted systemic harassment in the Malayalam film industry.