Give security to Sruthi: Women's panel to top cop

Bengaluru: The Karnataka State Commission for Women has intervened in the sexual harassment case filed by Sandalwood actor Sruthi Hariharan against Arjun Sarja, her co-actor in the movie Vismaya, and has approached Police Commissioner T. Suneel Kumar seeking protection for Sruthi as she has received life threats.

In a letter, Commission Chairperson Nagalakshmi Bai asked the Commissioner to submit a report within 15 days and to provide security to Sruthi as Sarja’s media manager Prashant Sambargi allegedly issued life threats to her. Ms Bai also pressed for a through probe into the case, considering the gravity of the charges and the reach of the accused.

The commission intervened after Sruthi filed a formal complaint at the Cubbon Park police station accusing Sarja of sexual harassment. The police have registered an FIR and booked Sarja under Sections 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty, 354A (sexual harassment) and 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman).

Sruthi alleged in the complaint that Sarja touched her inappropriately on the sets of the bilingual film Vismaya. “During rehearsal, Arjun Sarja began cuddling, touching my hips, moving up to my bra, bringing the movement of the hand down to my hip and further down to my thigh," she wrote in her complaint.

She alleged that Sarja on many occasions made unwelcome and explicit sexual overtures, asking her to meet him in his room to "have some fun".

Police record statements
Meanwhile, two professionals who worked in Vismaya and the movie’s associate director recorded their statements with the police on Tuesday. Associate director Monica and Sruhthi’s make-up artiste Kiran visited the police station and recorded their statements before the investigating officer. Arjun Sarja, who too had been summoned for questioning, is yet to appear before the police.