Actor Nivin Pauly questioned by SIT in sexual assault case

Actor Nivin Pauly (File) | Photo credit: RK Nithin

The Special Investigation Team (SIT), which is probing the sexual harassment allegations against Malayalam film industry personalities, questioned actor Nivin Pauly in Kochi, Kerala on Tuesday (October 1, 2024).

He has been asked to appear before the team as part of its investigation into the complaint of a 40-year-old Kothamangalam resident alleging that the actor sexually assaulted her at a hotel in Dubai in November 2023.

Opinion in the countermotion

The SIT also considered the actor’s statement in a counter-petition filed by him with the state police chief in which he alleged that the complaint was fake. He had stated that he was at a shooting location in Kochi at the time of the alleged incident mentioned by the woman.

The actor was among the six people booked by the Oonnukal police near Kothamangalam in Ernakulam Rural on various charges including gang rape on September 3, 2024.

Mr. Pauly was named as the sixth defendant in the case. Shreya, film producer AK Sunil, Binu, Basheer and Kuttan were identified as the first five accused each. The third to fifth accused were reportedly acquaintances of the first accused Shreya.

The first information report was filed under Sections 354 (assault or use of criminal force against a woman), 376D (gang rape), 354C (voyeurism), 450 (trespass), 342 (wrongful imprisonment) and 376 (imprisonment) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). registered. 2)(n) (commits repeated rape of the same woman), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 34 (acts by several persons in furtherance of a common intention).