The Kerala government on Saturday appointed IPS officer G Pungujali as the nodal officer for the cases registered in connection with the disclosure of the Justice Hema committee report that exposed rampant sexual misconduct in the Malayalam film industry.
The Nodal Officer will act as the immediate contact person for the victims in these incidents. The officer will address victims’ requests for protection from threats and intimidation.
Punguzhali is currently working as Assistant Inspector General (AIG) in Coast Guard. “On receipt of such request from the victims, the nodal officer will take appropriate action and report the action to the City Police Commissioner, Thiruvananthapuram,” a police statement said. The new appointment was made after the Justice Hema Committee report revealed incidents of harassment and exploitation of women in the Malayalam cinema industry, demanding action against the culprits.
The Kerala government formed the Justice Hema committee after the 2017 actress molestation case. The full report was placed before the Kerala High Court which directed it to be handed over to a Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted to probe complaints of sexual harassment in the film industry.