What was the outcome of the sexual harassment case against filmmaker Ranjith Balakrishnan?

The Kerala High Court dismissed the sexual harassment case against Ranjith Balakrishnan, ruling that the complaint filed 15 years after the alleged 2009 incident was time-barred.

When did the alleged incident involving Ranjith Balakrishnan take place?

The alleged incident took place in 2009 during the filming of the movie 'Paleri Manikyam: Oru Pathirakolapathakathinte Katha'.

Home / Crime and Justice / Kerala Court Clears Filmmaker of Decade-Old Sexual Harassment Charges

Kerala Court Clears Filmmaker of Decade-Old Sexual Harassment Charges

Q: What was the reason given by the Kerala High Court for dismissing the case against Ranjith Balakrishnan?

The Kerala High Court accepted Ranjith's plea that the case, based on an alleged incident from 2009, was filed well beyond the permissible time limit for prosecution, and therefore, the Magistrate Court could not legally proceed with the matter.

28 Oct

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Summary

Kerala High Court dismisses sexual harassment case against filmmaker Ranjith Balakrishnan
Case filed 15 years after alleged 2009 incident on film set
Court rules case was time-barred due to significant delay in filing complaint

Kerala Court Clears Filmmaker of Decade-Old Sexual Harassment Charges

In a significant ruling, the Kerala High Court has dismissed a sexual harassment case against renowned Malayalam filmmaker Ranjith Balakrishnan. The case, which emerged 15 years after the alleged incident on the set of 'Paleri Manikyam' in 2009, was deemed time-barred by the court.

The High Court, led by Justice C. Pradeep Kumar, delivered the verdict on Monday, October 27, 2025, bringing an end to the criminal proceedings. The court accepted Ranjith's plea that the case, based on an alleged incident from 2009, was filed well beyond the permissible time limit for prosecution. The complaint had been registered by the Ernakulam North Police in 2024, which was 15 years after the alleged events.