Malayalam filmmaker Sanal Kumar Sasidharan detained at Mumbai airport

Malayalam filmmaker Sanal Kumar Sasidharan was detained at Mumbai airport on Sunday as there was a lookout notice issued by the Kerala police in a case related to a harassment complaint given by an actress, officials said.

Sasidharan, in a Facebook post, said he has arrived at Mumbai airport but is detained.

Confirming the development, a police officer here said the Kochi City Police are in touch with the authorities at Mumbai airport.

In January this year, the Elamakkara police registered a case against Sasidharan for harassing a prominent Malayalam actress on social media.

However, Sasidharan was in the United States when the police registered the case against him. Then, the police issued a lookout circular to detain him once he comes to India.

“I have been detained as part of a lookout notice issued by the Kochi City Police. I believe the police and the communist party in Kerala will treat me as per the law. I am not aware of the case against me,” he said in the post.

Meanwhile, Kochi City Police have received information about Sasidharan being detained at Mumbai airport.

“We are in touch with the airport authorities. Once a confirmation is received, a police team will be sent to Mumbai to take Sasidharan in custody,” a senior police officer said.

Earlier, Sasidharan was arrested by the police for stalking the same actress online in 2022. However, he was later granted bail by the Aluva Judicial First Class Magistrate, the police said.