A criminal case for sexual assault against Malayalam filmmaker Ranjith Balakrishnan has been quashed. On Friday, the Karnataka High Court annulled the criminal proceedings initiated against Malayalam filmmaker Ranjith Balakrishnan. The case, which was based on a complaint filed by a 31-year-old man who accused the director of assault, has now been officially set aside, as per a Live Law report.
The verdict was delivered by a single-judge bench led by Justice S. R. Krishna Kumar. After reviewing the petition submitted by Balakrishnan, the court ruled in his favour and ordered the dismissal of the charges. The FIR had invoked provisions under Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, which deals with unnatural sexual acts, as well as Section 66E of the Information Technology Act, 2000, which pertains to violations of privacy.
As per reports from PTI, the complainant, an aspiring actor, alleged that the incident took place at a luxury hotel in Bengaluru, Karnataka. The First Information Report (FIR) states that the man was first introduced to Balakrishnan in 2012, in Kozhikode, during the filming of Bavuttiyude Namathil—a project written and produced by the director. The complainant claimed that he had originally visited the film set to meet Malayalam superstar Mammootty.
Allegations Date Back to 2012
According to the FIR, Balakrishnan reportedly obtained the complainant's phone number and later invited him to a high-end hotel near Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru in December 2012. It was during this meeting that the man says he was offered alcohol and then sexually assaulted by the director. The complaint was initially submitted in Kerala, but since the alleged assault occurred in Bengaluru, the case was subsequently transferred there for jurisdictional reasons. A senior police officer confirmed that an FIR has now been registered in Bengaluru based on the complaint.
The complainant stated that although the incident happened over a decade ago, he decided to come forward only recently, encouraged by the growing wave of sexual misconduct allegations within the Malayalam film industry. He said the courage of other survivors inspired him to finally break his silence and lodge the complaint.
Charges Registered Under IPC and IT Act
Following the complaint, legal proceedings were initiated on October 26 at the Bangalore International Airport Limited police station. The case has been filed under Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, which pertains to unnatural offenses, and Section 66E of the Information Technology Act, which deals with violations of privacy.
This is not the first time Balakrishnan has been accused of inappropriate behaviour. In an earlier instance, Bengali actress Sreelekha Mitra had alleged misconduct during a script discussion at Balakrishnan’s residence. Although the director denied those claims, the controversy led to his resignation from the position of chairman of the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy.
Defense Questions Validity of Claims
As per a Bar & Bench report, Balakrishnan’s legal representative, Senior Advocate Prabhuling Navadgi, dismissed the case as baseless. He argued that the luxury hotel near the Bengaluru airport, where the incident allegedly occurred, only became operational in 2016—four years after the supposed event—thus revealing a significant inconsistency in the complaint.
Justice M. Nagaprasanna, a single-judge bench, had earlier taken note of this detail and issued a temporary stay on the criminal proceedings against the filmmaker. The judge also observed that the 12-year delay in reporting the incident had not been adequately explained, which cast doubt on the reliability of the accusations.
Acclaimed Career in Malayalam Cinema
Ranjith Balakrishnan is a celebrated name in Malayalam cinema, known for his multifaceted roles as a director, screenwriter, producer, and actor. He made his directorial debut in 2001 with Ravanaprabhu, the sequel to Devaasuram. Over his career, he has earned three National Film Awards. His movie Spirit won for Best Film on Social Issues, while Thirakkatha and Indian Rupee received the National Award for Best Feature Film in Malayalam in 2008 and 2011, respectively. He has also been honoured with six Kerala State Film Awards.
The verdict was delivered by a single-judge bench led by Justice S. R. Krishna Kumar. After reviewing the petition submitted by Balakrishnan, the court ruled in his favour and ordered the dismissal of the charges. The FIR had invoked provisions under Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, which deals with unnatural sexual acts, as well as Section 66E of the Information Technology Act, 2000, which pertains to violations of privacy.
As per reports from PTI, the complainant, an aspiring actor, alleged that the incident took place at a luxury hotel in Bengaluru, Karnataka. The First Information Report (FIR) states that the man was first introduced to Balakrishnan in 2012, in Kozhikode, during the filming of Bavuttiyude Namathil—a project written and produced by the director. The complainant claimed that he had originally visited the film set to meet Malayalam superstar Mammootty.
Allegations Date Back to 2012
According to the FIR, Balakrishnan reportedly obtained the complainant's phone number and later invited him to a high-end hotel near Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru in December 2012. It was during this meeting that the man says he was offered alcohol and then sexually assaulted by the director. The complaint was initially submitted in Kerala, but since the alleged assault occurred in Bengaluru, the case was subsequently transferred there for jurisdictional reasons. A senior police officer confirmed that an FIR has now been registered in Bengaluru based on the complaint.
The complainant stated that although the incident happened over a decade ago, he decided to come forward only recently, encouraged by the growing wave of sexual misconduct allegations within the Malayalam film industry. He said the courage of other survivors inspired him to finally break his silence and lodge the complaint.
Charges Registered Under IPC and IT Act
Following the complaint, legal proceedings were initiated on October 26 at the Bangalore International Airport Limited police station. The case has been filed under Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, which pertains to unnatural offenses, and Section 66E of the Information Technology Act, which deals with violations of privacy.
This is not the first time Balakrishnan has been accused of inappropriate behaviour. In an earlier instance, Bengali actress Sreelekha Mitra had alleged misconduct during a script discussion at Balakrishnan’s residence. Although the director denied those claims, the controversy led to his resignation from the position of chairman of the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy.
Defense Questions Validity of Claims
As per a Bar & Bench report, Balakrishnan’s legal representative, Senior Advocate Prabhuling Navadgi, dismissed the case as baseless. He argued that the luxury hotel near the Bengaluru airport, where the incident allegedly occurred, only became operational in 2016—four years after the supposed event—thus revealing a significant inconsistency in the complaint.
Justice M. Nagaprasanna, a single-judge bench, had earlier taken note of this detail and issued a temporary stay on the criminal proceedings against the filmmaker. The judge also observed that the 12-year delay in reporting the incident had not been adequately explained, which cast doubt on the reliability of the accusations.
Acclaimed Career in Malayalam Cinema
Ranjith Balakrishnan is a celebrated name in Malayalam cinema, known for his multifaceted roles as a director, screenwriter, producer, and actor. He made his directorial debut in 2001 with Ravanaprabhu, the sequel to Devaasuram. Over his career, he has earned three National Film Awards. His movie Spirit won for Best Film on Social Issues, while Thirakkatha and Indian Rupee received the National Award for Best Feature Film in Malayalam in 2008 and 2011, respectively. He has also been honoured with six Kerala State Film Awards.
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