Malayalam film actor Nivin Pauly arrested for rape

Malayalam actor Nivin Pauly was arrested on Tuesday on charges of rape after a 40-year-old woman sexually assaulted him in Dubai over a year ago, police said. (Also read: Mammootty supports Hema committee report; reveals why he 'waited so long' to respond: 'I welcome it wholeheartedly…')

What the report said

An officer of Oonnukal police station, where the FIR was registered under Section 376 of the IPC, said there are six accused in the case, including a woman. The first accused is a woman and Nivin is the sixth accused, the officer said.

According to the woman, the incident took place in Dubai over a year ago, the official said, declining to give further details. Nivin Pauly is one of many actors and directors who have faced allegations of sexual harassment or rape by female actors following the release of the Justice K Hema Committee report.

More details

The committee was set up by the Government of Kerala following the 2017 assault case of an actress and its report uncovered cases of harassment and exploitation of women in the Malayalam film industry.

After allegations of sexual harassment and exploitation were made against several actors and directors, the state government announced on August 25 that it would set up a seven-member special investigation team to investigate these allegations.

Earlier this month, a redacted version of the Justice Hema Committee's report on harassment of women in the Malayalam film industry was released. It contains shocking accounts of harassment, exploitation and mistreatment of women professionals. The 235-page report, released after redacting the names of witnesses and accused, states that the Malayalam film industry is controlled by around 10 to 15 male producers, directors and actors who dominate and control the industry.

The report of the three-member panel headed by a former judge of the Kerala High Court, set up by the state government in 2017, was submitted to the Pinrayi-led Kerala government in December 2019 and made public only this month.

(With contributions from PTI)