Supreme Court extends bail for Malayalam actor Siddique in rape case as hearing reveals evidence concerns

The Supreme Court has extended the interim anticipatory bail for Malayalam actor Siddique in a rape case for another week. The case involves allegations from a young actress regarding an incident in 2016. The hearing was postponed due to the ill-health of Siddique's lawyer. During the hearing, Siddique's lawyer questioned the police's request for a phone used in 2016, stating it was not feasible to provide it. The state argued that Siddique was not cooperating with the investigation and had destroyed evidence, including deactivating his social media accounts. The allegations against Siddique emerged after the release of a report on abuses in the Malayalam film industry. The actress filed a police complaint in 2024, eight years after the alleged incident, citing the report as a catalyst for her decision to come forward.