Malayalam actor Minu Muneer arrested for defamatory posts against Balachandra Menon, released on bail

The Kochi City cybercrime police on Monday (June 30, 2025) arrested Malayalam actor Minu Muneer (45) in connection with a case registered based on a complaint by actor-director Balachandra Menon accusing her of making obscene and defamatory comments against him on social media.

She surrendered at the cybercrime police station after the Kerala High Court had dismissed her anticipatory bail plea and directed her to appear before the police. Later, she was released on bail as per the direction of the High Court.

Ms. Muneer was one of the two accused in the case. The other accused was identified as Sangeeth Luis, 45.

The case was registered on October 2, 2024. The accused were booked under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Sections 351(2) (criminal intimidation), the IT Act Sections 67 (publishing or transmitting obscene material in electronic form), and the Kerala Police Act 120 (o) (causing, through any means of communication, a nuisance of himself to any person by repeated or undesirable or anonymous call, letter, writing, message, e-mail or through a messenger).

According to the FIR, Ms. Muneer consistently made derogatory posts against the petitioner, posted the photo of the petitioner and instigated vulgar comments. The second accused allegedly made threatening calls to the petitioner September 13 and 14, 2024.

The alleged posts came shortly after the release of the Hema Committee report on the alleged atrocities against women in the film industry.