The case was filed by a minor girl’s father, the actor is now in judicial custody
Tanvi Trivedi (BOMBAY TIMES; June 6, 2021)

TV actor Pearl V Puri was arrested in Mumbai on Friday afternoon by the Waliv police (Vasai) in connection with a case filed against him in 2019. The actor has been charged with molesting a minor girl (aged five) two years ago. “Pearl has been booked under the POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) Act. He is in judicial custody,” said Sanjay Patil, DCP Zone 2, Mira Bhayander Vasai Virar.

The girl’s father had approached the police in 2019, after which an FIR was registered against Pearl. Sadanand Date, Commissioner of Police, Mira Bhayandar Vasai Virar (MBVV) commissionerate, told Bombay Times, “It is a 2019 case, but we took action after DCP Patil vetted the matter and evidence. More details will follow after the investigation.” According to sources, as per the complaint, the alleged incident took place on the set of a TV show after which the girl’s father approached the Waliv police because they stay in Vasai.

The TV industry is shocked at the news. In a long Instagram post, producer Ekta Kapoor claimed that the child’s mother (who, as per Ekta’s post, works in the TV industry) told her that Pearl is innocent and the case has been filed by the child’s father to prove that the mother cannot take care of her child. Pearl has worked on several of Ekta's shows, like Naagin 3, Bepanah Pyaar and Brahmarakshas 2.

Apart from Ekta, actors like Anita Hassanandani, Krystal D’Souza, Nia Sharma and Karishma Tanna (who he was rumoured to be dating earlier) have come out in support of Pearl on social media. Karishma told us, “I’ve known Pearl for many years and I was aware of this case, which was registered in 2019. The allegations are baseless and false. I have been in the loop throughout.”
---------------------
The child’s mother told me that her husband is trying to prove that a working mother on a set cannot take care of her kid: Ekta Kapoor

In her post on Instagram, Ekta Kapoor wrote, “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.

If this is true then it is wrong on so many levels! Using an extremely important movement like ‘Me Too’ frivolously, to get your own agendas met with and mentally torturing a child and making an innocent person guilty. I have no right to decide, the courts will decide who is right & wrong.

My opinion only comes from what the girl’s mother said to me last night & that is — Pearl is innocent …and it is very very sad if people are using various tactics to prove working mothers are unable to take care of their children, because there are predators on the set. I have all the voice notes and messages between the child’s mother and me which clearly points to the false allegations being put on Pearl.

The film industry is as safe or as unsafe as any other business. To give it a bad name to get your agenda sorted is the lowest form of low ever.

If by chance, Pearl is proved innocent, I request people to look more deeply into how the important & much needed movements in today’s time, are being used unfairly reducing the gravitas of the situation. May justice prevail! #MayJusticePrevail (sic).”