Malayalam actor Nivin Pauly was questioned by the special investigation team (SIT) of the Kerala police on Tuesday in connection with the rape case filed against him, officers aware of the matter said.
The actor also recorded his statement in the counter-complaint that he submitted to SIT, in which he termed the allegations against him were “fabricated” and pointed to a conspiracy behind it, they added.
Pauly, who has several big Malayalam hits to his name, was named the sixth accused in an FIR filed on September 3 on the complaint of a woman from Neriamangalam. The complainant alleged that she was raped by accused number two to accused number six, including Pauly, at a hotel in Dubai in the presence of the first accused in November last year. She claimed that she was taken to Dubai after she was offered a role in a film project by the accused. The case was lodged at the Oonukkal police station in Ernakulam district and handed over to the SIT, police said.
Following the FIR’s registration, Pauly wrote on Facebook, “I have come across a false news report accusing me of abusing a girl. Please know that this is entirely untrue. I’m determined to go to any extent to prove these allegations are baseless and will take all necessary steps to bring those responsible to light. Thank you for your concern. The rest will be handled legally.”
{{/usCountry}}Following the FIR’s registration, Pauly wrote on Facebook, “I have come across a false news report accusing me of abusing a girl. Please know that this is entirely untrue. I’m determined to go to any extent to prove these allegations are baseless and will take all necessary steps to bring those responsible to light. Thank you for your concern. The rest will be handled legally.”
{{/usCountry}}During the questioning, the actor is reported to have told the SIT that he was shooting in Kerala the day the alleged assault took place in Dubai. Several of his co-actors had come on record to state that he was present on a set in Kochi the day of the alleged incident took place.
Pauly filed a counter-complaint with police in September and hinted that certain industry figures may be behind the “fake case” to tarnish his image.
The SIT is probing multiple cases of sexual assault and harassment against prominent actors, directors and other industry figures in the Malayalam film industry in the backdrop of the release of the Justice Hema committee report. The report has documented systemic sexual abuse against women in the industry, the presence of an all-male power group that calls the shots and issues bans, poor treatment of junior artists and wage disparities based on gender. Following the report’s publication in August, several women have come forward to raise allegations of assault and harassment against industry figures.