21 F (India) got molested in first semester of college in 2023. Can I put forward a case after I graduate in 2027?

Location: India

This is a bit long, so please bear with me.

During my first semester of college in 2023, I was sexually assaulted by a guy I’ll call V. The incident did not happen on campus. We had gone to a party about two hours away from college and were staying at a hotel.

For context, there were two boys and two girls. Three of us were first-year students, while one of the girls was a final-year student. One of the boys and the other girl started making out and wanted some privacy, so the other boy (V) and I moved to another room.

Initially, we were sleeping on opposite sides of the bed. During the night, however, V repeatedly kissed me while I was asleep. I was going in and out of sleep, completely frozen and scared, and I didn’t know how to react. I had consumed some alcohol earlier that night, but I was sober and conscious when this was happening.

I never told my parents because they don’t know that I went to that party or that I had been drinking. I’m afraid that if they found out, they would focus on the fact that I went somewhere without telling them and drank, rather than believing or supporting me. I’m also worried they would become extremely restrictive and stop trusting me.

After the incident, things became much worse. V started telling people about what happened, and rumours about me began spreading. I was completely shattered. I struggled a lot mentally and felt like I was losing control of my life. I almost killed myself because of this situation, it was unbearably painful.

Several of his friends would come up to me and say that they knew he was wrong, but ultimately they continued to stand by him. One of his friends, in particular, also participated in the harassment and took his side throughout the situation. He did things such as trying to get me removed from my own dance crew and spreading things about me.

The most difficult part is that V is also in my class, so I have had to see him almost every day since the incident. I’ve had to deal with the person who assaulted me being around me throughout college, while also dealing with the rumours, harassment and the people who chose to support him.

I did approach the police at one point. They told me they could investigate, but that my parents would have to become involved. At the time, I wasn’t willing or able to involve my parents, so I didn’t proceed further.

I am now wondering whether I can take legal action after I graduate from college. By then, I will be 22 and financially and legally independent.

My main concerns are:

1. Can I file a sexual assault complaint after graduating, given that the incident happened in 2023?

2. Can I also take action against the people who subsequently harassed me or spread rumours about me?

3. Is it possible for me to pursue the case independently as an adult without my parents being informed or involved?

4. If I wait until after graduation, will that significantly affect my ability to pursue the case?

I used AI to refine my language, but overall this is my entire situation. Any help will be appreciated because I’ve been struggling a lot. It’s been three years and I’m still struggling, so any advice is appreciated, even if it’s bad. Thank you.