Malayalam star Nivin Pauly is a popular actor among the Telugu audience. His films Premam, Bangalore Days, and Moothon are some of his widely watched films by Telugu people.

Now he has found himself at the center of a serious legal controversy.

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On Tuesday, the Kerala Police registered a non-bailable case against Nivin Pauly, producer AK Sunil, and four others, charging them under Section 376 of the Indian Penal Code for rape and other related offenses.

This move comes in the wake of a woman's complaint alleging that she was sexually assaulted by the accused while in Dubai.

The complaint, filed at the Oonnukal police station in Ernakulam, accuses Nivin Pauly and the other individuals of sexually harassing and assaulting the woman under the pretense of offering her a role in a film.

The alleged assault reportedly involved multiple people, with Nivin Pauly named as one of the principal offenders.

The case was initiated after the Special Investigation Team (SIT) reviewed the complaint, collected statements, and forwarded the case to the district police chief. Subsequently, the Oonnukal police registered the case.

This development is part of a larger reckoning within the Malayalam film industry, which has been grappling with numerous sexual harassment allegations following the release of the Hema Committee report. This report has highlighted widespread misconduct within the industry.

In response to these serious accusations, Nivin Pauly took to social media to refute the claims. He described the allegations as "entirely untrue" and "baseless," asserting his intention to take all necessary legal steps to clear his name. Nivin Pauly emphasized his commitment to proving his innocence and bringing the truth to light.