Mollywood Director Manzoor Rasheed Accused of Narco Jihad, Rape, and Extortion [Hyderabad, Telangana]

(Reported as seen)

A disturbing case has emerged involving Mollywood director Manzoor Rasheed, who faces severe allegations of narco jihad, rape, and extortion. According to a Karma News report, the Hyderabad police arrived in Kollam Oachira to apprehend Rasheed, an assistant director accused of sexually assaulting a young actress and recording the incident. This heinous act allegedly took place during the production of Prithviraj’s movie “Bro Daddy” in 2022, set at Ramoji Film City, Hyderabad. Currently, local Communist Party of India Marxist (CPM) leaders are purportedly providing support to Rasheed.

The actress reported that Rasheed visited her hotel room in Hyderabad, where he laced her cool drinks and chocolates with narcotic drugs, causing her to lose consciousness. Following this, Rasheed allegedly raped her. The actress awoke seven hours later, realized what had transpired, and left the movie set to return home. The Telangana police have since registered a case against Rasheed under charges of rape.

Upon returning home, the actress began receiving obscene photos from Rasheed, which he had taken while she was unconscious. Using these images, Rasheed blackmailed her and extorted a total of 6.5 lakh rupees over multiple occasions. Initially, the victim did not disclose the incident to her husband, fearing the impact on her family. However, Rasheed’s continued demands for money eventually forced her to confide in her husband. Unfortunately, her husband did not support her and chose to leave her, leading the actress to pursue legal action against Rasheed.

It was reported that when the victim informed actor Prithviraj about the incident, he dismissed Rasheed but did not notify the police. The situation escalated when Hyderabad police came to Oachira in Kollam to arrest Rasheed, but local CPM leaders, including Oachira Kunji Chanthu, allegedly assisted in hiding him. Furthermore, Kollam police are accused of leaking information about the Telangana police’s arrival, allowing Rasheed to evade capture. The Telangana police even conducted a raid on the CPM leader’s house in Oachira.

The victim has lodged a complaint with the Director General of Police (DGP) against CPM Local Secretary Chanthu, citing threats from Rasheed’s father, Tanseer, who allegedly threatened to kill her. The actress, who is a Malayali, highlighted the vulnerability of many Mollywood actresses, often young Hindu and Christian women, to such exploitation.

This case raises significant concerns about the protection of women in the film industry and the alleged complicity of political leaders in shielding perpetrators of such crimes. The involvement of CPM leaders and the failure to take immediate legal action reflect broader issues of systemic abuse and corruption. The community now awaits justice for the victim and stringent measures to prevent similar atrocities in the future.