Actor-director Vineeth Sreenivasan has come forward stating that actor Nivin Pauly was with him in Kochi for a film shoot on December 14 and 15 The woman, based in Ernakulam, had alleged that she was sexually assaulted by six people including Nivin, in Dubai in December 2023. However, Vineeth has now said that Nivin was on the sets of his movie Varshangalkku Shesham on those dates.
The woman in her complaint had stated that the crimes happened once in November and then between December 6-16. In an interview to Reporter Live, she said that she was sexually assaulted in her flat in Dubai between December 14 and 16 in 2023, and that Nivin Pauly was present there.
Vineeth Sreenivasan however said Nivin was with him on December 14 and 15, while filmmaker PR Arun told TNM that Nivin was in India on December 15 and 16.
Meanwhile, the complainant’s husband said that they are very sure of the actor’s presence in Dubai on the said dates. He said that they have submitted their passports to the police to verify the dates, adding that it is now up to the police to check the actor’s passport.
“The film was shot at Nucleus Mall in Tripunithura on December 14. The crew assembled around 7.15 am, and Nivin arrived by 8 am. We started shooting at 8.30 am, beginning with the scenes inside the theatre. There was a crowd present during the shoot, so it wouldn’t be difficult to verify this. After that, we set up a stage outside Nucleus Mall and filmed the scenes where Nivin speaks into a mic. We completed the shoot on the same day because we only had four days with Nivin, as he was simultaneously working on the web series Pharma. I coordinated Nivin’s schedule directly, not through his manager, which is why I remember the dates clearly. We filmed until 3.00 am on December 15 and he left Hotel Crowne Plaza by around 3.15 am. He had mentioned that he was heading to the Pharma shoot, which was also in Kerala,” Vineeth told Reporter Live.
PR Arun, the director of the web series Pharma, confirmed to TNM that Nivin was in Aluva on December 15 and 16, 2023. Arun mentioned that Nivin joined the Pharma set immediately after finishing the shoot for Varshangalukku Shesham.
The woman had filed a complaint with the Ernakulam Rural Superintendent of Police (SP) Vaibhav Saxena, alleging that she was promised a role in a film, for which she was asked to come to Dubai in November 2023.
Nivin was booked by the Kerala police on September 3, along with five others including Malayalam film producer AK Sunil, over her complaint that she was sexually assaulted. Nivin is reportedly named the sixth accused in the case.
Soon after news of the case came out, Nivin held a press meet and denied the allegations. He said that he neither knew the woman who made the complaint nor had ever spoken to her.
On September 5, Nivin lodged a complaint with the State Police Chief, asserting that the rape accusation made against him was false and part of a conspiracy. In his email to the police chief, Nivin requested a thorough investigation into his complaint and for statements to be taken before any action is taken on the allegation.