New Delhi, Nov 12 (Bureau) The Supreme Court on Tuesday extended by a week the interim anticipatory bail of Malayalam actor Siddique in a rape case filed by a young actor, following the release of a Justice Hema Committee report. A bench comprising Justice Bela Trivedi and Justice Satish Chandra Sharma extended the interim anticipatory bail granted to Malayalam actor Siddique by a week.Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing on behalf of Siddique, said that the police kept asking about his phone and laptop used in 2016. “How will I give it?” Rohatgi submitted.Senior Advocate Ranjit Kumar, appearing for the state, said that though Siddiqui was appearing before the investigating agency, he was not cooperating and was giving evasive responses. The Court questioned the police demand to produce phones used in 2016.
Justice Sharma asked how a person would be asked to hand over the phone used in 2016. “Material and question are two different things. He is saying you want the 2016 iPhone. As per my personal experience, I bought an iPhone 16, giving my iPhone 15 back in the shop,” Justice Sharma said. Rohatgi then requested that the matter be posted for hearing to next week, saying that he has a bad throat. On October 22, a bench of Justices Bela M. Trivedi and Satish Chandra Sharma extended the interim anticipatory bail granted to him on September 30 for another two weeks. The 62-year-old actor, Siddique, is accused of raping a fellow actor in 2016. The Justice Hema Committee report highlighted the exploitations faced by women in Malayalam cinema. Justice Trivedi questioned the delay of eight years in filing the complaint by the victim.Kumar replied that the victim mustered the courage to come out with the allegations after the Hema Committee report was published. The actress made public allegations that Siddique sexually exploited her in 2016 when she met him in a hotel room after he offered her opportunities in the film industry.