"I was made a criminal overnight'': Pearl V Puri breaks his silence on the rape allegations

Television actor Pearl V Puri was arrested by Mumbai police for the alleged rape of a minor girl. The actor was arrested, sent to judicial custody for 14 days and released on bail two weeks ago. For the first time since his arrest, the actor has finally spoken up and says he trusts the law will take its course. Pearl revealed that he lost his maternal grandmother a few months ago, then his father and now his mother is undergoing cancer treatment. He added that amid all this, there's this 'ghastly accusation'. He wrote, 'Last couple of weeks were gruelling for me like a nightmare. I was overnight made to feel like a criminal. All of this in the midst of my mother's cancer treatment. It shattered my sense of security, making me feel helpless. I am still numb...but I felt it's time to reach out to my friends, fans and well-wishers who've showered me with their love, support and concern."

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He thanked everyone for their support and in the end shared that he believes in Satyamev Jayate. He concluded, "I trust in the law, judiciary of my country and God up there. Please keep your duas coming. "Pearl V Puri was booked under Sections 376 AB (punishment for rape of woman under 12 years of age) of the Indian Penal Code, and Sections 4 (punishment for penetrative sexual assault), 8 (punishment for sexual assault), 12 (punishment for sexual harassment), 19 (reporting of offences) and 21 (punishment for failure to report or record a case) of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012.The alleged rape incident for which Pearl was arrested took place in 2019 during the shoot of his television show, Bepanah Pyaarr. After his arrest, Pearl got support from a host of celebrities including Ekta Kapoor, Divya Khosla Kumar, Nia Sharma among others. Pearl has been part of several shows on television including Badatameez Dil, Nagarjuna, Bepannah Pyaar, Naagin 3 and Meri Sasu Maa.