Case filed against actress Bhanupriya, her brother for harassing domestic help

A case has been registered against popular actress Bhanupriya and her brother Gopalakrishna for harassing a 14-year-old domestic help. This news came into light after an FIR has been registered against them, by Superintendent of Police, East Godavari in Andhra Pradesh.

According to what the reports claim, the case has been booked under the Juvenile Justice Act for criminal intimidation and has been registered first at Samalkot in Andhra Pradesh and now has been transferred to Chennai. The actress has been booked under Sections 323 (Punishment for voluntarily causing hurt), 506 (Punishment for criminal intimidation), 341 (Punishment for wrongful restraint) and 34 (Acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the IPC and Juvenile Justice Act Sections 75 (Punishment for cruelty to the child) and 79 (Keeping a child under bondage for employment).

R Penupagula Prabhavathui, the mother of a minor girl, in her complaint to the police, has mentioned that the actress has engaged her in domestic work for more than 18 months. Also, she mentioned that they did not pay her salary, and refused to send her back home.

In January itself, the girl's mother had alleged that Gopalakrishnan had told her that her daughter stole valuables worth Rs 10 lakh from their house and that she can meet her daughter only if she is ready to pay that amount. She also alleged that Gopalakrishnan had sexually harassed her daughter while she was working there. With the help of some child welfare groups, Prabhavathi has managed to file a complaint with the police.

Meanwhile, in February, Gopalakrishnan had also filed a complaint that the girl had stolen several electronic gadgets, watches and gold ornaments. After the complaint was lodged, the police had arrested the girl's mother, while the girl was sent to an observational home. In July, the Juvenile Justice Board acquitted the girl of all charges and she was allowed to go home.

On the work front, Bhanupriya was last in Kadaikutty Singham and Mahanati, which released last year.