Actor Sruthi Hariharan on Saturday filed a sexual harassment complaint with the Cubbon Park police against actor Arjun Sarja.
Ms. Hariharan approached the police with a detailed complaint accusing Mr. Sarja of making sexual overtures many times during a film shooting in 2015 . Based on her complaint, the police have registered an FIR charging Mr. Sarja under IPC sections 354 (sexual harassment), 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) and 506 (criminal intimidation).
D. Devraj, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central Division), said the police have taken cognizance of the case and initiated investigations. After Ms. Sruthi filed a complaint, the police began a probe and sent a woman police officer with her to conduct spot investigations.
In her complaint, Ms. Hariharan narrated the ordeal she went through in November 2015, when she was shooting for Vismaya . She accused Arjun Sarja of misbehaving with her under the pretext of a rehearsal and also later. She said she had complained to the film crew and even discussed the matter with her friend.
Ms. Hariharan alleged that the actor had also threatened to make her life miserable if she did not respond to the advances he had made. In the complaint, she says that she wanted to take appropriate legal action, but could not muster the courage as she was an upcoming artist back then and feared it would jeopardise her career.
In her submission to the police, Ms. Hariharan said that #MeToo movement had emboldened artistes like her, who suffered sexual harassment but could not speak about it. She had posted her ordeal under the #MeToo campaign, further to which Mr. Sarja filed for defamation . Ms. Hariharan also filed a complaint against Mr. Sarja’s close aide Prashanth Sampargi for life threats.
Meanwhile, the police have initiated investigations and will summon the people she has mentioned in her complaint as witnesses to record their statements. They will summon Mr. Sarja for questioning following which legal action will be initiated, a senior police officer said.
Published - October 28, 2018 12:59 am IST
