Actor Jayasurya denies sexual harassment allegations and calls himself ‘living martyr’ after appearing on SIT-The Week

Mollywood actor Jayasurya denied the allegations of sexual harassment leveled against him after the release of the Justice Hema Committee report. Jayasurya on Tuesday appeared before the Special Investigation Team to probe the allegations of sexual violence in Malayalam cinema.

Speaking to press personnel after appearing before SIT for questioning, Jayasurya said the allegations were fake. “Two allegations have been made against me and both are fake. One of the complainants said something about an incident that allegedly took place during the shooting of the film ‘Pigman’ in 2013 in Thodupuzha. In fact, the shooting of the film was completed in 2011 itself and that was not in Thodupuzha, but in Koothatukulam,” said the actor.

He also denied the second allegation against him, with the complainant claiming that Jayasurya invited her to his flat in Thiruvananthapuram during the shooting of a film in 2008. “Such false allegations are being leveled against him. This will only silence genuine voices,” he said. The actor said he would fight till the end and that he is a ‘living martyr’.

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The actor, who was in the US when the allegations came to light, reached India on September 19. Earlier, Jayasurya denied the allegations in an open letter and it has devastated him and his family. “I just hope someone realizes that facing a false accusation of harassment is just as painful as the harassment itself. A lie always travels faster than the truth, but I believe the truth will prevail,” he had said.

Allegations were leveled against the actor after the Kerala government released the Justice Hema Commission report in August. The committee studied issues faced by women in Malayalam cinema. The report shows that women face extreme discrimination in the Malayalam film industry. Based on the allegations that came to light after the publication of the report, the Kerala Police formed an SIT to investigate them. So far, 17 cases have been recorded.