Sujeesh had been named by multiple women for alleged rape and sexual abuse. The flood of allegations began with an anonymous post on Reddit on 2 March, where an 18-year-old woman narrated how she was raped inside the tattoo studio. The Kochi-based tattoo artist had several high-profile clients, including leading artists from the Malayalam film industry.
Case Against Sujeesh
At least seven First Information Reports (FIRs) were registered against Sujeesh – two for rape and the others for sexual assault under Section 354 (assault or using criminal force against a woman, outraging her modesty) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
A foreign woman had also accused him of sexual harassment when she had come to his studio to get a tattoo.
However, on 8 April, Additional Sessions Judge Shibu Thomas granted bail to Sujeesh in two cases of rape that were registered against him.
In June, one of the survivors filed a petition before the Kerala High Court seeking to cancel the bail granted to the tattoo artist.
The petitioner submitted that the investigation in the case against him was in an advanced stage and that if the accused continued to be on bail, he might tamper with the evidence and sabotage the investigation. There was every chance of him influencing or intimidating the witnesses in the case.
Complaints against Sujeesh resurrected the #MeToo movement in Kerala and opened the floodgates for a shockingly high number of women who came out with their experiences of sexual abuse at beauty parlours, psychologists, and in the film industry.
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