Latest news with #BalachandraMenon
Time of India
08-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Extortion TWIST in Balachandra Menon case; Actress Minu Muneer's lawyer arrested
(Picture Courtesy: Facebook) The Kochi Cyber Police have arrested Sangeeth Louis, a lawyer and filmmaker from Kollam in the ongoing extortion case involving actor-filmmaker Balachandra Menon . He is accused of attempting to extort money from Balachandra Menon by allegedly threatening to publicize fabricated allegations. Lawyer held in extortion case against veteran actor As reported by Asianet News, the arrest was made from his residence in Ayyanthole, Thrissur. Sangeeth is the second accused in the case, following the earlier arrest of actress Minu Muneer, who was identified as the prime accused. Social media allegations led to legal showdown The controversy erupted in the wake of the Hema Committee report. It was when Minu Muneer took to social media to level serious allegations of sexual misconduct against Balachandra Menon. 'He Kissed Me Forcefully': Actress Minu Muneer's Bold Claims Against Top Malayalam Actors In response, Balachandra Menon filed a police complaint that accused her of making defamatory and obscene remarks. Minu was subsequently arrested and later released on bail by the High Court. However, the investigation continued which lead to Sangeeth's arrest. According to police, both Minu and Sangeeth were working together as part of a planned effort to intimidate and extort Menon. Adding to the twist, Sangeeth Louis is no stranger to controversy. Reportedly, the police revealed that he has been an accused in multiple cases. Sangeeth was even booked under the Kerala Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act (KAAPA). This happened in the year 2023. Despite these claims, Sangeeth insists his intentions were misunderstood. He told police that he merely informed Balachandra Menon about other actresses who were allegedly ready to testify against him. However, cyber police have reportedly recovered key data from both Sangeeth and Minu's phones that suggest coordinated attempts to extract money from the veteran actor. The extortion attempt dates back to September last year, and with Sangeeth now in custody, the case appears to be moving toward a deeper investigation.
Time of India
07-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Man arrested for bid to defame director Menon
Kochi: A 46-year-old man was arrested by Kochi city cybercrime police for allegedly attempting to defame and extort actor-director Balachandra Menon on Thursday early morning. The arrested person has been identified as Sangeeth Luis, 46, of Kollam. The case pertains to the incident which occurred last Sept. He was declared an offender under Kaapa and moved to preventive detention in 2023, police said. Actor Minnu Muneer, 45, another accused in the case, surrendered before police on June 30, 2025, and her arrest was recorded. She surrendered after her anticipatory bail plea was dismissed and was released on bail as per HC direction. The case was registered on Oct 2, 2024. The accused were booked under BNS Section 351(2) (criminal intimidation), Section 67 (publishing or transmitting obscene material in electronic form) of IT Act and 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, email or through a messenger). TNN Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and s ilver prices in your area.
Time of India
07-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Balachandra Menon extortion case: Man arrested in cyber crime case for alleged extortion and defamation of actor-director
Sangeeth Luis, 46, was arrested by Kochi Cyber Crime police for allegedly attempting to extort and defame actor-director Balachandra Menon. The case, involving threats and derogatory social media posts, also includes actor Minnu Muneer, who surrendered earlier. Charges relate to criminal intimidation and distributing obscene electronic content. The Kochi City Police Cyber Crime unit has arrested a 46-year-old man, Sangeeth Luis, for allegedly attempting to extort and defame actor-director Balachandra Menon . Sangeeth, a resident of Thrissur who hails from Kundara, Kollam, was taken into custody following a detailed investigation. The arrest comes after Menon filed a complaint, leading to a probe that revealed the man's alleged attempts to blackmail and tarnish the filmmaker's reputation through social media platforms. Read on to know more about this development. Police surveillance and arrest details related to Balachandra Menon case Authorities revealed that the man was involved in several cases and had been monitored by the police for a period. He was finally taken into custody during the early hours of Thursday, August 7, 2025. Background and preventive custody in Balachandra Menon extortion case The incident in question happened in September of last year. The police mentioned that he was labeled an offender under the Kerala Prevention of Anti-social Activities Act and was taken into custody on preventive charges by the Kundara police back in 2023. Minnu Muneer's surrender and bail in Balachandra Menon defamation case Actor Minnu Muneer, 45, who is also implicated in the case, was taken into custody after voluntarily surrendering at the Cyber Crime police station on June 30, 2025. This followed the Kerala High Court's rejection of her anticipatory bail request and its order for her to appear before the authorities. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Feathered and fluffy: the astonishing tale of a chubby owl Undo She was later released on bail as directed by the High Court. Charges filed under law in Balachandra Menon cyber crime case The case was registered on October 2, 2024, with the accused facing charges under various laws. They were booked under Section 351(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for criminal intimidation, Section 67 of the IT Act for distributing or sharing obscene content electronically, and Section 120(o) of the Kerala Police Act for causing annoyance through repeated or unwanted anonymous communication via calls, letters, messages, emails, or messengers. FIR details on alleged defamation and threats in Balachandra Menon case The FIR states that Ms. Muneer frequently posted harmful and disrespectful remarks targeting the petitioner, including sharing the petitioner's photograph to invite lewd comments. Meanwhile, the second accused is accused of making menacing phone calls to the petitioner on September 13 and 14, 2024. These incidents occurred soon after the Hema Committee released its report on alleged abuses against women in the film industry.
The Hindu
07-08-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Man arrested for alleged attempt to extort and defame actor-director Balachandra Menon
The Kochi City Cyber Crime police have arrested a man accused in the case registered in connection with an alleged attempt to extort actor-director Balachandra Menon and tarnish him over social media. The arrested was identified as Sangeeth Luis, 46, a native of Kundara in Kollam and now residing at Ayyanthole in Thrissur. The police said he was an accused in several cases. He was under the surveillance of the police for a while and was arrested in the early-morning hours of Thursday (August 7, 2025). The incident pertaining to the case took place last September. He was declared an offender under the Kerala Anti-social Activities (Prevention) Act and arrested on preventive grounds by the Kundara police in 2023, the police said. The police had arrested the other accused in the case, actor Minnu Muneer, 45, after she surrendered at the station on June 30, 2025. She surrendered at the Cyber Crime police station after the Kerala High Court 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. The case was registered on October 2, 2024. The accused were booked under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 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 on September 13 and 14, 2024. The alleged posts came shortly after the release of the Hema Committee report on the alleged atrocities against woman in the film industry.
Hindustan Times
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Australia revokes Kanye West's visa over Heil Hitler song: ‘We don't need that'
Malayalam actor Minu Muneer was arrested by Kochi Cyber Police following a defamation complaint from filmmaker Balachandra Menon over derogatory social media posts. Muneer, who was released on bail, had previously accused several industry figures, including actor Mukesh, of sexual misconduct. Her allegations have sparked controversy in the Malayalam film industry, leading to significant discussions within the community.
