Mumbai: TV actor Pearl Puri arrested for allegedly raping 5-year-old girl

Photo used for representational purpose. Pic/iStock

Television actor of TV series Naagin 3 Pearl V Puri was arrested on Friday night by Waliv police for allegedly sexually assaulting a 5-year-old girl. The actor was produced in Sessions Court and has been remanded to police custody.

Police said the incident took place at a film set in Vasai in 2019. Police sources said the victim's mother knew about the incident, but she did not inform the police.

On Friday night, Waliv police went to the actor's residence in Andheri and took him to Amboli police station for questioning. Later, he was arrested.

Police sources said that the girl was on the set with her mother when she was sexually assaulted and she suffered injuries on her private parts.

Police said the victim told her father about the incident, who approached the Versova police and registered an FIR. However, no action was taken by the police for over a year.

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Speaking with mid-day, a senior police officer said, "The incident took place in 2019 in Vasai area when Pearl Puri, along with his crew members and team, was doing a shooting. The victim came to the film set with her mother, who is an actress. Pearl took the girl with her on the pretext of playing and sexually assaulted her. The victim revealed the entire incident to her mother, but she did not take any action. However, a day later, the girl complained of pain to her father, who took her to the hospital where the doctors informed that she has been sexually assaulted. The victim's father immediately rushed to Versova police and registered a case."

The Versova police transferred the case to Waliv police, but no action was taken. According to sources, the Versova police and Waliv police are also under scanner for not taking any action since 2019.

Speaking with mid-day, DCP Sanjay Patil of zone 2 of Mira Bhayandar Vasai Virar (MBVV) said, "The FIR was filed in 2019 under IPC section 376 (rape) and sections 4, 8, 12, 19 and 21 of the POCSO Act at Versova police station. Later, the case was transferred to Waliv police station. The accused Pearl Puri allegedly sexually assaulted the 5-year-old girl and is in police custody."

Police sources said, "The victim's mother was allegedly aware of the incident but did not inform the police. So, action will be taken action against her also."

In the last nine years, Pearl has worked in several television shows. He made his TV debut in 2013 with ‘Dil Ki Nazar Se Khoobsurat' and rose to fame with ‘Phir Bhi Na Maane Badtameez Dil'. He has also worked in ‘Naagin 3', ‘Naagarjuna Ek Yoddha' and ‘Bepanah Pyaar'. His latest show was ‘Brahmarakshas 2'.