Vineeth Sreenivasan defends Nivin Pauly against sexual misconduct allegations

Dubai: Malayalam actor and director Vineeth Sreenivasan has publicly supported actor Nivin Pauly, who is facing accusations of sexual misconduct. The allegations involve the ‘Premam’ star being accused of drugging and sexually assaulting a woman at a hotel suite outside India in December, 2023.

In response to the accusations that emerged on September 3, Nivin quickly held a press conference to deny the allegations, stating he has never met the accuser and plans to pursue legal action to clear his name.

“Nivin was with us filming in Kochi on December 14, 15, and 16 2023, the days the woman claims to have been abused. It’s clear her allegations are false,” Vineeth said in an interview on Malayalam channel Reporter Live. The 'Varshangalku Shesham' director has also reportedly provided documents like hotel bills, and bookings to discredit the alleged survivor's claims. Director of the film 'Pharma', PR Arun, have also endorsed Vineeth's claims.

Vineeth also stated that he had filmed several crucial scenes of his directorial project, 'Varshangalku Shesham', on those two days that the woman claims to have been violated. 

“If you do some fact-checking, you will find that we booked a hotel under Nivin’s name in Kochi and filmed scenes with Nivin on stage surrounded by people. All of this can be easily verified. This shows that her allegations aren't true,” said Vineeth.

Nivin Pauly's legal team, in a statment, have also said that it's concerning to see the misuse of legal protections intended to "safeguard women".

"It's disheartening to see laws meant to protect women being misused for personal gain, hidden agendas, and financial exploitation," said Nivin's legal team in a statement. 

Earlier this week, Nivin’s name appeared in a sexual misconduct case. According to a report in the Malayalam publication Mathrubhumi, a sexual assault case was filed against Pauly, who is reportedly the sixth accused in the case.

"I have come across a false news report accusing me of abusing a girl. Please know that this is entirely untrue. I am determined to go to any extent to prove these allegations baseless and will take all necessary steps to bring those responsible to light," Pauly said on his Instagram account. He added that the case will be handled legally.

Several reports indicate that the survivor accused the 'Bangalore Days' actor and five others of sexually assaulting her in a hotel outside India after promising her a role in one of his upcoming projects. A film producer is also accused of the same crime. The case has reportedly been registered in Ernakulam under a non-bailable charge, according to the Indian Express.

However, Pauly has labeled the allegations “baseless.”

"This is a baseless allegation. I have never seen or spoken to this woman. I have a family, and it's unfair that such 'flash news' is being reported without verification. I have family and kids too, so please clarify such news," he said at the press conference in Malayalam.

Several reports suggest the survivor approached the Special Investigation Team (SIT), formed by the Kerala government following the Hema Committee findings on rampant sex abuse. Pauly, 39, is one of many Malayalam actors accused of sexual misconduct since the Hema Committee's findings were released on August 19. Actors such as Mukesh, Siddique, and Jayasurya have also faced similar accusations.

Nivin is the only one who has publicly addressed accusations of sexual misconduct.

He claimed to have been aware of a similar case filed by the same woman against him 45 days ago, which was proven false. The circle inspector of police had advised him against filing a fake case against the woman at that time. He has yet to read the new FIR but claims to be innocent and a victim of a conspiracy.

Pauly, known for his roles in Malayalam blockbusters 'Premam' and 'Action Hero Biju,' is recognized as an actor who rose to fame without the backing of a powerful acting dynasty. He has yet to comment further on the charges.