Kottayam: Malayalam actor Nivin Pauly and director Abrid Shine will be interrogated in a cheating case registered by the Thalayolaparambu police. Manorama News reported that the police have served a notice via WhatsApp to both, asking them to appear for interrogation.
Speaking to Onmanorama, an official from the Thalayolaparambu police confirmed that a registered notice will be sent to the actor and director on Monday. He added that neither had responded to the notice sent via WhatsApp.
“They will be summoned for interrogation at a time convenient to them. A detailed quizzing is required to investigate the allegations in the complaint,” the official said.
The case
PS Shamnas, co-producer of the 2022 movie ‘Mahaveeryar’, filed the complaint against Nivin Pauly and Abrid Shine. In his complaint, Shamnas alleged that the actor promised to pay him ₹95 lakh and offered him a partnership in his upcoming film ‘Action Hero Biju 2’ after ‘Mahaveeryar’ flopped at the box office. The complainant claimed that he spent around ₹1.9 crore on the new project, which was registered under his banner, Indian Movie Makers.
He further alleged that Nivin Pauly and Abrid Shine signed a ₹5 crore distribution deal with a Dubai-based company, citing an earlier contract from the actor’s production house.
The overseas distribution rights were transferred to M/s Home Screen Motion Pictures LLC, located at 3003, Churchill Executive Tower, Business Bay, Dubai, UAE (AP International), which also has a branch in Chennai. The distribution rights were granted to the company, which paid an advance of ₹2 crore, believing the film was being produced under Nivin Pauly Jr Pictures. The complaint alleges that the accused duped the complainant of ₹1.9 crore through this arrangement.
The Thalayolaparambu police registered a case against the actor and director on July 16. The case has been filed under Section 175(3) of the BNSS (Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita), according to the police station. Charges under Sections 406 (criminal breach of trust), 420 (cheating), and 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code have also been filed against the actor and director.