A woman, who was rescued by the Musuru police in a prostitution racket, has alleged that she faced sexual harassment from Sandalwood actors Mandya Ramesh and Sadhu Kokila.
On Wednesday, police from the Mysuru crime branch carried out a raid on a spa named 'Like Trend Family Saloon' in Mysuru and had rescued the girl and arrested the owners, Rajesh, and his wife Indira.
Speaking to the media, she said, "I am from Pandavapura and based on someone's suggestion I found work in this beauty parlour. But I realised that it was a spa only after I joined work. Sadhu Kokila and Mandya Ramesh were visitors there and I used to give them body massages,"
The victim stated that she was sexually harassed by the two actors. "During the massage I was sexually harassed. They threatened me that they would complain to my boss if I did not co-operate with them. I was going through unbearable mental torture," she said.
According to the victim, the actors had visited the spa twice. She also alleged that the owner had raped her. "When Rajesh's wife was out of town I was raped by him and told me to co-operate with the customers who come to the spa," she said.
The allegations have rocked the Sandalwood film fraternity.
Mandya Ramesh said, "I was shocked when I heard the story. I was also disappointed because the incident has cast a shadow of doubt over my character. I swear on the Goddess Chamundeshwari that I have never got any massage from her."
Admitting that he had visited the spa to cut his hair, Ramesh added, "I know Rajesh for 6-7 years. I loved his work when he was working with someone else. He had requested me to inaugurate the spa when he had decided to turn independent. As I have know him, I agreed. But I did not have a clue that such illegal works were going on there."
Kokila too responded to the allegations by claiming, "I never go out for haircuts. I have my own stylist who comes to my house to dye and cut my hair. I am not sure why such allegations have been made against me and I am in a state of a shock," he said.
The cops busted the racket based on the tip-off provided by an NGO, Odanadi Samsthe.
