Sexual assault case registered against actor Nivin Pauly

CHENNAI: A sexual assault case has been filed against actor Nivin Pauly, the latest in a series of allegations against Malayalam film stars.

A 40-year-old woman has filed a police complaint in Ernakulam alleging that the actor brought her to Dubai under the pretext of giving her a role in a film, and molested her in November 2023, as per media reports.

The police then reportedly conducted a preliminary investigation before filing the case against Nivin, and five other people, including film producer AK Sunil.

The case has been registered by the Oonnukal Police in Ernakulam. It will be transferred to the Special Investigation Team (SIT) set up by the Kerala government to probe these sexual assault allegations.

The actor, who is said to be the sixth accused in the case, has reportedly been booked under non-bailable charges.

Following the shocking revelations in the Justice Hema Committee report which has shaken the Malayalam film industry, many women actors, including a Bengali actress, have gone public with allegations of sexual harassment against some of the well-known faces of Malayalam cinema, including eminent director Ranjith and actors Siddique and Mukesh.

The Justice K Hema Committee was constituted by the Kerala government after the 2017 actress assault case, and its report revealed instances of harassment and exploitation of women in the Malayalam cinema industry.