Amaravati, Feb 3 (IANS) The Andhra Pradesh police on Tuesday registered an FIR against Jana Sena MLA Arava Sridhar following the allegations that he sexually exploited a woman.
The police registered the case against the MLA under sections 318(2), 318(4), 88, 351(2) of Bharat Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and took up an investigation.
Following the directions National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), the Kadapa district superintendent of police ordered the registration of the case against the Railway Koduru MLA.
The woman had approached the NHRC seeking justice after a FIR was not registered on her complaint.
She alleged last week that the MLA sexually exploited her for over a year on the pretext of marriage and forced her to abort.
The woman, said to be a government employee, in a selfie video claimed that the exploitation began shortly after Sridhar was elected as an MLA in 2024. She alleged that she was taken in a car to an isolated place, where he assaulted her.
She alleged that she had undergone five abortions over the past year and that the MLA repeatedly tortured and threatened her. She said that he also called her husband to force him to divorce her.
The MLA of Pawan Kalyan-led party, however, denied the allegations made by the woman. He claimed that false propaganda and deepfake videos were circulated about him.
Meanwhile, MLA Sridhar on Tuesday appeared before a three-committee constituted by Jana Sena to probe the allegations against him.
Talking to media persons after appearing before the panel, he said that he is ready to face the case.
“No matter how many cases they file against me, I will face them. Even if they file a hundred cases, I am ready to confront them,” he said.
Sridhar also termed it an entirely personal matter and urged the media not to drag the party into it.
The Jana Sena, headed by Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, named its leaders T. Sivashankar, T. Ramadevi, and T.C. Varun as three members of the panel to probe the allegations made by a woman.
Jana Sena, a partner in the TDP-led NDA government, has asked the committee to probe the media reports about the allegations against the party MLA from Railway Koduru constituency in Tirupati district.
It had directed MLA Sridhar to appear before the committee within seven days to give a clarification on the allegations. He was also asked to stay away from party activities till the committee submits its report.
–IANS
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