Kochi: Malayalam filmmaker Sanal Kumar Sasidharan was detained at the Mumbai airport here today. Officials said the Kerala Police had issued a lookout notice in a case related to a complaint of harassment by an actress.
Sasidharan said in a Facebook post that he had reached Mumbai airport but was detained. Confirming the incident, a police officer here said that the Kochi City Police is in touch with Mumbai airport authorities.
In January this year, the Elamkara police had registered a case against Sasidharan for allegedly harassing a prominent Malayalam actress on social media. However, when the police registered the case, Sasidharan was in the US. The police had subsequently issued a lookout circular to detain him on his arrival in India.
Sasidharan said in the post, “I have been detained under a lookout notice issued by the Kochi City Police. I believe that the Kerala Police and the Communist Party will deal with me as per the law. I am not aware of the case against me.”
Meanwhile, the Kochi City Police has received information about Sasidharan being detained at the Mumbai airport. A senior police officer said, “We are in touch with the airport authorities. After confirmation, a police team will be sent to Mumbai to detain Sasidharan.”
Earlier, Sasidharan was arrested by the police in 2022 on charges of online stalking of the same actress. However, the police said that he was later granted bail by the Aluva Judicial First Class Magistrate.