Sexual Harassment Case Filed Against Jana Sena MLA Arava Sridhar

Police on Wednesday registered a case against Railway Koduru Jana Sena Party MLA Arava Sridhar following sexual harassment allegations . The case was booked based on a complaint by a woman government employee , who alleged that the MLA subjected her to continuous harassment and verbal abuse for nearly one-and-a-half years .

According to the complaint, Sridhar allegedly misled the complainant with a promise of marriage and subjected her to prolonged physical abuse and assaults .

Counter Allegations by MLA’s Mother

Rejecting the allegations, Sridhar’s mother Prameela termed them false and motivated . She alleged that the woman approached her son exploiting caste identity , frequently visited their house, and later blackmailed him to marry her . She stated that a complaint was already submitted to the District Superintendent of Police and asserted that the allegations were baseless and intentional .

Political Uproar; YSRCP Criticism

The issue triggered a major political controversy in the state. YSR Congress Party Women’s Wing State President and MLC Varudu Kalyani strongly condemned the incident. Speaking at the YSRCP central office in Tadepalli , she alleged that the coalition government failed to protect women and accused ruling party MLAs of acting with impunity .

She alleged that the victim was trapped and repeatedly subjected to sexual assault, threats, physical attacks, and mental trauma for nearly 18 months . She further claimed the victim was forced to undergo abortions and was threatened with the killing of her child . The circulation of videos related to the case , she said, shocked the state .

Kalyani questioned the silence of Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, the Home Minister, and the Speaker , asking whether their promises on women’s safety were limited to “cinema dialogues.”

Opposition Demands Action

The YSRCP demanded suo motu action , immediate arrest of the MLA , suspension from the Jana Sena Party , and disqualification as an MLA . She also urged the Women’s Commission to intervene , assuring that the party would stand by the victim until justice is delivered . Meanwhile, Railway Koduru police have registered the case and begun investigation .

Jana Sena Forms Committee to Probe Allegations

The Jana Sena Party state executive constituted a three-member inquiry committee to verify the allegations. The committee includes T. Shivashankar, Thamballapalli Ramadevi, and T.C. Varun . Sridhar has been asked to appear before the committee within seven days . Pending the final report, he was directed to stay away from party activities .

Responding to the allegations, MLA Arava Sridhar claimed that a video circulating on social media was an AI-generated deepfake , asserting that he had no connection with it , in a post on his X (formerly Twitter) account .