Pearl V Puri arrested in minor rape case: Timeline of developments

Television actor Pearl Puri was arrested on Friday, June 4, by the Waliv and Mumbai police on charges of raping a minor girl. As per the Mumbai Police, a case has been registered against him under Section 376 of IPC and POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) Act 4, 8, 12, 19 and 21.

According to the Waliv Police Station, the victim’s family had complained that Puri had allegedly molested and raped the girl, around two years ago.

Ever since the news broke out, Pearl’s friends from the film fraternity including actors Anita Hassandani, Krystle D’souza, Arjun Bijlani, Surbhi Jyoti, Shalin Bhanot and Amir Ali among others have stood up for him, claiming that the actor is innocent and the charges against him are baseless.

On June 5, producer and a friend of Pearl V Puri, Ekta Kapoor showed her support for the actor and said she has voice notes of the victim's mother proving rape charges against Pearl V. Puri are false. 

"Will I support a child molester…or a molester of any kind? But what I witnessed from last night to now, was the absolute low in human depravity. How can humanity go to this level? How can people who are upset with each other, drag a third person into their own fight? How can a human being take on another human being and do this? After various calls with the child‘s/girl’s mother, who openly said that Pearl was not involved and it’s her husband trying to create stories to keep her child and prove that a working mother on a set cannot take care of her kid,” she wrote on her Instagram page.

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Erkrek (@ektarkapoor)

Meanwhile, on Sunday, June 6, Mumbai Police DCP in a press statement said that the accusations against Pearl are not false. In a video, Vasai DCP Sanjay Kumar Patil was asked about Ekta's statement via her Instagram post in which she defended Pearl. To which DCP is heard saying, "No, the accusations are not false. His name has come up in the investigation. There is evidence against him. That is why the police have arrested him. The truth will be decided in the trial."

DCP STATEMENT on minor girl case pic.twitter.com/E7MmI8AePa

— ѵσ૨ƒ૨εµ∂ε (@_Listzomaniac) June 5, 2021

As per IANS, a Vasai Court on Saturday sent arrested television actor Pearl V. Puri to 14 days` judicial custody, officials said. Puri, who was nabbed late on Friday night on alleged charges of molesting and raping a five-year old girl two years ago, was produced before the Vasai Sessions Court Judge Aditi Kadam who granted Puri judicial custody for 14 days. Puri is likely to move an application seeking bail, which will come up for hearing in the court on Monday.

(Inputs from IANS and ANI)

(All photo: Instagram/PearlVPuri)