Malayalam actor Minu Muneer arrested over defaming Balachandra Menon over alleged sexual misconduct

Following Hema Committee findings, Minu accused several actors in Kerala of the same crime

Last updated: July 01, 2025 | 17:32

Manjusha Radhakrishnan, Entertainment Editor

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Minu Muneer

Instagramk/MinuMuneer

Dubai: Malayalam actor Minu Muneer was arrested on Monday, June 30, by the Ernakulam Cyber Crime Police in connection with a defamation complaint filed by veteran actor and filmmaker Balachandra Menon.

According to The News Minute report, Muneer was taken into custody and later released the same day after producing anticipatory bail granted by the Kerala High Court.

Also Read: Shweta Menon slams Hema Committee: Malayalam cinema is more authentic than Bollywood

The arrest stems from allegations made by Minu in 2024, shortly after the release of the Hema Committee report, which exposed rampant sexual harassment and systemic abuse within the Malayalam film industry.

In a public post, Minu accused several male figures in the industry, including Menon, of sexual misconduct.

Menon denied the accusations and subsequently filed a complaint, alleging that Minu and another woman had threatened him and attempted to tarnish his reputation through social media posts and media interviews.

Also Read: South Indian actress Parvathy Thiruvothu resigns from Malayalam film organisation in protest

He claimed that Minu’s actions amounted to a deliberate character assassination campaign.

Based on his complaint, the cyber police registered a First Information Report (FIR) against Minu on October 2, 2024.

Minu’s allegations extended beyond Menon. In August 2024, she filed a formal complaint with the Kerala Police against actor and CPI(M) MLA Mukesh and six others — actors Jayasurya, Edavela Babu, and Maniyanpilla Raju; production controllers Noble and Vichu; and VS Chandrasekharan, a producer and the president of the Lawyers’ Congress.

Manjusha RadhakrishnanEntertainment Editor

Manjusha Radhakrishnan has been slaying entertainment news and celebrity interviews in Dubai for 18 years—and she’s just getting started. As Entertainment Editor, she covers Bollywood movie reviews, Hollywood scoops, Pakistani dramas, and world cinema. Red carpets? She’s walked them all—Europe, North America, Macau—covering IIFA (Bollywood Oscars) and Zee Cine Awards like a pro. She’s been on CNN with Becky Anderson dropping Bollywood truth bombs like Salman Khan Black Buck hunting conviction and hosted panels with directors like Bollywood’s Kabir Khan and Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh. She has also covered film festivals around the globe. Oh, and did we mention she landed the cover of Xpedition Magazine as one of the UAE’s 50 most influential icons? She was also the resident Bollywood guru on Dubai TV’s Insider Arabia and Saudi TV, where she dishes out the latest scoop and celebrity news. Her interview roster reads like a dream guest list—Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Shah Rukh Khan, Robbie Williams, Sean Penn, Deepika Padukone, Alia Bhatt, Joaquin Phoenix, and Morgan Freeman. From breaking celeb news to making stars spill secrets, Manjusha doesn’t just cover entertainment—she owns it while looking like a star herself.