Malayalam actor Jayasurya has responded to the sexual harassment allegations against him through a post that was uploaded to both Facebook and Instagram during the early hours of Sunday.
Jayasurya, who turned 46 on Saturday, is a well-known actor from the Malayalam film industry and has been in the field since 1995 and has won multiple awards including two prestigious Kerala State Awards for best actor.
The actor has been finding himself in hot waters since being accused of sexual harassment in light of the recent Justice Hema Committee report that has taken the Malayalam film industry by storm.
Allegations Against the Actor
On August 26, Minu Muneer, an actress in the industry, took to Facebook to report that Jayasurya, along with five other names from the industry, had subjected the actress to “physical and verbal abuse” by the six industry men in 2013. The list of men included other big names such as Mukesh, Maniyanpilla Raju and Edavela Babu.
The actress also alleges that Jayasurya, during the filming of a 2013 film, had hugged her from behind and kissed her without her consent. “I was shocked and I ran out,” said the actress who is currently seeking “justice and accountability.”
On August 29, the Kerala Police booked Jayasurya and a First Information Report (FIR) was filed at the Cantonment Police Station, Thiruvananthapuram. According to sources, the actor has been booked under section 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) as a survivor alleged that the actor had assaulted her during a film shoot in the state secretariat. She filed six other complaints, one against Mukesh who is also CPI(M) MLA.
On August 30, Jayasurya was booked for a second time for a case of sexual assault. The case was lodged at the Karamana Police Station in Thiruvananthapuram based on a complaint against the actor which states that he assaulted her at a film set in Thodupuzha. The complaint was registered under section 354 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) the second time as well.
Jayasurya is the fourth person from the Malayalam film industry to be booked for sexual harassment in the wake of the Hema Committee report. Ranjith, a well-known director, and senior actors Siddique and Mukesh have been booked.
https://test.inpactimes.com/hema-committee-report-reveals-sexual-exploitation-in-malayalam-film-industry/: “A lie always travels faster than the truth”; Actor Jayasurya Responds to the Sexual Harassment AllegationsJayasurya’s Response
The actor’s post on both Facebook and Instagram starts by thanking the people who wished him on his birthday, which was on Sunday. He extends his gratitude to everyone “extending your support and standing by me.”
Jayasurya goes on to explain that he is currently in the United States with his family due to “personal commitments,” and denies the allegations made against him. “It had shattered me, my family, and everyone who has held me close,” the actor states in his post. He has been married to Saritha Jayasurya since 2004 and the couple has two children together.
He announces that he is involving his legal team in order to prove his innocence. He states, “I only hope one realises that facing a false accusation of harassment is just as painful as the harassment itself.” He continues, “A lie always travels faster than the truth but I believe truth will prevail.”
Towards the end of the statement, he sounds optimistic that the legal proceedings would prove his innocence and that he has complete faith in the judicial system, though he is unsure of an exact date for his return from the States. He ends the statement by thanking everyone who contributed to making his birthday “the most painful one.”
