Actor Nivin Pauly was booked for rape on Tuesday (September 3) following a complaint from a 40-year-old woman who alleges he sexually assaulted her over a year ago in Dubai. Pauly has denied the allegations and vowed to use all legal avenues to prove his innocence.
The FIR, filed at Oonnukal police station under Section 376 of the IPC, lists six accused, including a woman, with Pauly identified as the sixth. The police have not released further details about the case.
Nivin Pauly denies allegations
In response to the FIR, Pauly took to Facebook, labeling the allegations as “entirely untrue” and expressing his determination to clear his name. “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,” he said.
At a subsequent press conference, Pauly reiterated his stance, describing the accusations as a deliberate attempt to defame him and suggesting a possible conspiracy. He asserted that he does not know the complainant and has never interacted with her.
Pauly revealed that about a month and a half ago, he was informed by an Oonnukal police officer about the sexual assault complaint. The officer initially believed the complaint to be false and mentioned that it would likely be closed. Based on this advice, Pauly chose not to pursue a counter-case at that time.
The actor has now committed to taking all necessary legal steps to prove his innocence and to challenge what he perceives as false allegations. “So, I will fight it, not just for me, but for others who might face such fake allegations in the future,” he said.
He plans to file a defamation case against the complainant and will cooperate fully with the investigation. Pauly also requested the media to verify the facts before reporting, as such allegations impact his family deeply.
This development comes amid a broader wave of sexual harassment and assault allegations within the Malayalam film industry, following the Justice K Hema Committee report, which highlighted issues of harassment and exploitation. In response, the Kerala government announced on August 25 the formation of a seven-member special investigation team to probe these allegations.