The sudden arrest of TV show ‘Sairab’ fame actor Rohit Chandel by Mumbai Police has shaken the entire entertainment industry. A case has been registered against him under the Indian Justice Code and POCSO Act on serious charges of stalking, harassing and assaulting a 16-year-old minor co-actress. But this is not the first case for the Indian entertainment industry. Even before Rohit Chandel, some well-known stars of television and regional cinema have been entangled in this very sensitive legal issue.
Since this is a very serious legal matter, it is very important to know what were the charges against these actors and what is the status of their cases in the court today, have they been acquitted or the case is still going on. Let us talk about this in detail.
1. Pearl V Puri
In June 2021, ‘Naagin 3’ fame TV actor Pearl V Puri was arrested by Mumbai’s Waliv Police under the POCSO Act for alleged sexual exploitation of a minor girl. This news stunned the entire industry and he remained in judicial custody (jail) for several days.
After some time, Pearl V Puri later got bail from the court. The biggest turning point came when the legal investigation and court process of this case progressed. No concrete evidence was found against the actor in the court and police investigation, after which Pearl V Puri has been completely clean chit (acquittal) from the court. He is now completely free from this case and has become active in the industry again.
2. Parth Samthaan
‘Kasauti Zindagi Ki 2’ fame Parth Samthaan’s name came into a big controversy in the year 2017. A 22-year-old model had accused the actor of molesting and abusing her when she was a 16-year-old minor. On the basis of this complaint, the police added sections 8 and 12 of the POCSO Act in the case.
In this case also, after the initial FIR and police investigation, no solid legal basis or evidence could stand before the court. Parth Samthaan has got legal relief in this matter and the case against him has been closed. Today Parth is a free bird and is busy shooting for his many projects.
3. Srijit Ravi
Well-known character actor Srijit Ravi of Malayalam film industry was arrested by Kerala Police in July 2022. He was accused of displaying obscenity in front of minor children playing in the park. After the children noted down the vehicle number, the police caught them under the POCSO Act.
After his arrest he remained in jail for some time. Later the Kerala High Court granted him bail on the condition that he would not become a threat to the society. His lawyers had argued in the court that the actor is suffering from a serious ‘behavioral disorder’ (mental illness) and is undergoing treatment. Legal trials and court procedures are still going on in this case.
4. Kootikal Jayachandran
In June 2024, Kerala Police had registered a case against another Malayalam cinema actor and TV host Koothikal Jayachandran under various sections of the POCSO Act. This complaint was lodged by a mother, in which it was alleged that the actor had tried to assault her four-year old innocent daughter.
Considering the sensitivity of this case and the age of the victim, Kerala Police had started a very detailed investigation. In this case, Jayachandran had to face initial police action and court rounds. At present this matter is still under the Theater of Law (court trial) and the final decision is yet to come.
Current status of Rohit Chandel case
If we talk about the current case i.e. Rohit Chandel, a case has been registered against him recently (July 2026). On the basis of the statements of the victim, the police produced her before the Magistrate Court and sent her to judicial custody. His lawyer is going to apply for bail soon, but the police is still investigating the case in depth.
The cases registered under the POCSO Act are very strict by law, but a police complaint or initial arrest does not at all mean that the accused is a criminal. As seen in the cases of Pearl V Puri and Parth Samthaan, the actors have been acquitted with full dignity after being proven innocent in the court. In the remaining cases also, the final decision will be decided on the basis of investigation and evidence by the judiciary.
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