Missing pages of Hema Committee report hint at POCSO case; Part 2 likely soon

Kochi: The Hema Committee report is set to trigger another controversy in Malayalam cinema as additional sections of the report are likely to be released soon. Reports suggest these sections contain information that could lead to POCSO case. A stay application was filed just minutes before the Right to Information (RTI) Commission ordered the release of these crucial parts, citing serious revelations.

The government had previously omitted several pages of the report, violating an RTI Commission directive. On December 7, journalists who had filed an appeal were expecting a verdict at 11 am. However, at 10.50 am, a stay application was submitted, stalling the process. The RTI Commission is now set to issue an order after hearing the petitioner’s arguments. Despite the delay, the government has assured that the Commission’s directive will be implemented.

The RTI Commission has maintained that applicants who paid for the report under the RTI Act must receive the omitted pages. While the Department of Culture has apologised for the omission, the Commission rejected the explanation.

The forthcoming revelations are particularly significant as the Special Investigation Team’s inquiries, based on statements from the Hema Committee report, have failed to make notable progress.