Kerala HC Quashes Sexual Harassment Case Filed By Bengali Actress Against Filmmaker Ranjith
Kochi, Kerala: Kerala High Court on Monday, October 27, quashed sexual harassment case lodged by a Bengali actress against filmmaker Ranjith Balakrishnan.
Hearing the case, Justice C Pratheep Kumar, quashed the proceedings presently pending before the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Court. The court observed that since the maximum punishment provided for the offence under Section 368 and 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.
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“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 528 of BNSS,” the court noted
The actress, in her FIR lodged in 2024, alleged that the filmmaker had, in 2009, tried to outrage her modesty by inappropriately holding her hand and attempting to touch her body with sexual intent.
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The FIR was registered against the Director under IPC 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).
The actress had alleged that Ranjith had invited the actress to his apartment for a movie discussion where he inappropriately held her hand and attempted to touch her body with sexual intent.
