Kochi: Malayalam actor Minu Munir was arrested by Kochi Cyber Police after a defamation complaint filed by veteran filmmaker and actor Balachandra Menon.
The arrest made arrests from the allegations made on social media, which Menon claimed that there was defamation in nature.
Shortly after taking into custody, he was released on bail.
The Kerala High Court had earlier rejected his anticipatory bail plea. He is the first accused in the case, who was registered in 2024.
He allegedly posted abusive posts about him on social media.
Minu Munir also filed a complaint against actor and MLA M Mukesh, who represents the Kollam assembly constituency and is the leader of the CPI (M).
Meanwhile, the arrest marks a new development in a controversy that provoked the Malayalam film industry in recent months.
In a series of social media posts and subsequent interviews, Munir publicly accused the figures of several major industry of sexual misconduct and misuse during his professional cooperation.
In August last year, Munir nominated actors Mukesh, Jayasuri, Manianpila Raju and Idwell Babu, alleging both oral and physical harassment.
He also mentioned advocate Chandrasekaran, Production Controller Noble and a person named Vichu.
“I am writing to report a series of physical and oral misconducts from the hands of Mukesh, Manianpila Raju, Idwell Babu, Jayasoria, Advocate Chandrasekaran, Production Controller Nobel and Vichu, to report a series of events of physical and oral misconduct events that inspire to shift to the Malayalam film industry, in the Malayalam film industry.
In a wide account given to ANI, Munir expanded his allegations. “Once, as I was coming out of the toilet, Jayasuri hugged me from behind and even kissed me for force … After that, Idwell Babu expressed his interest in a sexual relationship with me,” he said.
He also accused actor-producer Maniympila Raju of making unfair suggestions about his hotel stay during a film shoot, describing his behavior as “unprofessional and unstable”.
The events that he allegedly referred to in the 2013 date.
Following unrelated controversies, allegations were reported in view of increasing dissatisfaction within the Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA), resigning director Ranjith and actor Siddiq from their positions in the organization.
