The Hyderabad High Court on Tuesday, September 18, directed the Andhra Pradesh police to register a case against MLA Bode Prasad from the ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP), based on a complaint filed by YSRCP MLA RK Roja.
Roja had earlier, in August, filed a complaint against Prasad, who is an MLA from Penamalur, for using objectionable language against her in public during a press conference and calling her a 'prostitute'. Although she had filed the complaint on July 14, she said that an FIR had not been registered against Prasad. The press conference was held on July 9.
The incident
Roja, who is a legislator from Nagari, had earlier called out on several TDP leaders and alleged that they were part of the 'call money' racket. She repeatedly named Bode Prasad as one of the major accused.
In a statement to News Minute, in July, Bode Prasad had countered the allegations levelled against him and said, "Is she a woman? My stomach has been burning for three-and-a-half years. Every time she refers to me as 'Bode Prasad - sex racket - call money'. I'm telling this in presence of reporters and members of our constituency. Based on her behaviour, our people will believe, if I say that she is a prostitute (vyabichari). Or else, they will even believe if I say she is running a brothel. She accused me of being involved in a sex racket, but did she call me while running a brothel herself?"
Prasad lashing out at Roja did not go down well in the YSRCP and the party sought police intervention to sort out the matter.
The 'call money' racket dates back to 2015 when some victims approached the Vijayawada Police Commissioner alleging that they were being sexually exploited by the money lenders.
