Have no evidence; Nivin Pauly, group seized my phone in Dubai: Complainant

Kochi: A woman has accused producer AK Sunil, a native of Thrissur, and a group that included actor Nivin Pauly, of locking her in a room for three days and subjecting her to sexual abuse. She claimed that they did not provide her with food or water, and when they did give her water, it was laced with drugs. The group also allegedly threatened to kill her husband and son. She stated that Nivin Pauly and his group forcibly took her phone. 'This is why Nivin claims there is no evidence of the abuse,' she said.

The Oonnukal Police Station has registered a case based on her statement that she was allegedly abused in Dubai. The case was later transferred to the Special Investigation Team (SIT), which is investigating the revelations following the release of the Hema Committee report. Nivin Pauly is the sixth accused in the case, with five others, including Kottayam native Shreya, producer AK Sunil, and Ernakulam residents Binu, Basheer, and Kuttan, also named as accused.

According to the woman, "I first met the group in Dubai. They took Rs 3 lakh from me, promising to take me to Europe. When I asked for my money back, they stalled. Later, they introduced me to producer AK Sunil, claiming he could offer me a role in a movie. When I went to a hotel for an interview, I was physically abused. When Sunil's family found out, they introduced me to others, calling them his thugs. They locked me in a room for three days without food or water, giving me only drug-laced water. They threatened to kill my husband and son. Nivin Pauly and his group forcibly took my phone, which is why they claim there is no evidence."

"The chats on my phone contained evidence of the threats made by the film crew. I was alone, while they were a group. I had to endure the abuse because I refused to join their group. Many other girls have fallen into similar traps. I mentioned the abuse in my initial complaint and gave my statement to the CI. Sunil and his group humiliated me on social media by posting photos and labelling me and my husband as a 'honeytrap couple.' I also complained about that. The police said there was no evidence for the events in Dubai. The incidents occurred in November and December 2023, and I returned from Dubai on December 17. I will continue with my complaint despite threats of being attacked by thugs," she said.

Meanwhile, Nivin Pauly has denied the allegations, calling them "pure lies" and stating that he has never met or spoken to the woman. "These kinds of accusations keep coming up repeatedly. There needs to be an end to this. I am stepping forward for everyone in the film industry. I have no one to speak for me, so I am addressing the media myself. I am confident that I am completely in the right. I don't even know the individuals mentioned alongside my name in the allegations," Nivin said.