YSRCP leader Vidyasagar arrested in actress case

Vijayawada: Vijayawada police on Friday arrested YSRCP leader Kukkala Vidyasagar following a complaint by Mumbai-based actress Kadambari Jethwani that she was mentally and physically harassed.

After registering a case on a complaint by the actress, police had taken up the investigation and finally arrested him on Friday.

Jethwani lodged a complaint with the police on September 13 that a false case was registered against her by using forged documents and that she was mentally and physically harassed. Vidyasagar, who is also said to be a film producer, was named as accused number one in the case, registered by the complainant. The remaining accused were mentioned as others in the FIR.

The state government on August 15 suspended three senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officers following allegations that acting under political pressure they arrested the actress and her parents, bypassing laid down procedures and protocol.

The actress was arrested on a complaint by Vidyasagar in February when YSRCP was in power.

The case was registered at Ibrahimpatnam police station under the NTR district for allegedly forging property documents, extorting money from Vidyasagar and cheating him.

Jethwani met state home minister Vangalapudi Anitha on Thursday to request protection for herself and her family. She demanded the arrest of Vidyasagar.

She claimed that she and her family face danger from people they filed a case against.

Jethwani, who was behind bars for 42 days early this year, claimed that IPS officers and political leaders were involved in the alleged harassment.

She said that a false case was fabricated against her to coerce her into withdrawing a complaint of sexual assault she had lodged against a prominent corporate executive in Mumbai.

The actress and her parents were arrested in Mumbai by a team of Andhra police officers. The police team was led by the then Vijayawada deputy commissioner of police, Vishal Guni.

The state government on September 15 suspended P Sitharama Anjaneyulu, the then director general of police, intelligence, Kanthi Rana Tata, the then commissioner of Police, Vijayawada and Vishal Gunni, then DCP, Vijayawada.

The police are likely to include the senior IPS officers as the accused in the case.

Meanwhile, Kranti Rana Tata has approached the Andhra Pradesh High Court seeking anticipatory bail. The court will take up the petition for hearing on Monday.