KOCHI: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) has filed a chargesheet in court regarding the sexual harassment complaint lodged by a Bengali actress against director Ranjith. The chargesheet was submitted to the Ernakulam ACJM Court. This was the first case registered by the police on the revelations made following the release of the Hema Committee report. Ranjith has been charged with insulting womanhood in the chargesheet. A list of 36 witnesses is also attached to the charge sheet. The chargesheet was submitted on the 82nd day after the case was registered.
The SIT led by AIG G Poonguzhali was in charge of the case investigation. The Bengali actress made the revelation against Ranjih during an interview given to a private channel following the release of the Hema Committee report. The actress said that the director misbehaved with her in 2009 during the audition for the film 'Paleri Manikyam'.
"The audition happened in a hotel in Kochi. I met Ranjith in the morning. Then I did a photoshoot as part of the audition. In the evening, while we were talking about my salary and character in the film, Ranjith misbehaved with me. He came to me and first touched my bangles. He then stroked my hair. I ran out from there immediately after I felt his touch on my neck. I called a taxi and went to the hotel. I did not sleep that night fearing that he might come into my room," the actress said.
Denying the allegations, Ranjith said that the actress was levelling a fake allegation due to her frustration of not getting a role in his film.