Actress Bhanupriya, accused of harassing 14-year-old domestic help denies charges

Chennai: South Indian actress Bhanupriya has been accused of harassing a 14-year-old girl whom she allegedly hired as domestic help. The police complaint against the actress was filed in Andhra Pradesh on Thursday by the girl’s mother.

The woman has further alleged that the girl, not paid regular salary, was harassed and the family was not allowed to meet her. However, the actress has denied the allegations.

She told reporters in Chennai that the girl, who was between 16 and 17 years, working in her house for a year and was stealing money, jewellery and other valuables. The girl was allegedly sending the stolen goods to her house through her mother whenever she was visited her.

According to the sources, a 14-year-old girl was employed by Bhanupriya at her residence in Chennai. On Thursday the girl’s mother, Prabhavathi, filed a missing complaint with the Samalkot police station in East Godavari.

The woman alleged that Bhanupriya took her daughter to Chennai to employ her as her domestic help. She said her daughter was promised Rs 10,000 per month as salary. The woman said that for the last 18 months, the girl has not been paid and that she was not allowed access to her daughter. The girl’s family and relatives visited Bhanupriya’s residence earlier this month after they received an anonymous call, claiming that their daughter is being harassed by Bhanupriya’s brother Gopala Krishna.

Later, with the help of child welfare groups, the victim’s mother filed a complaint with the police.

However, under the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Amendment Act 2016, those accused of employing children below 14 years of age for any work can get up to two-year imprisonment and a fine of maximum ' 50,000. The mother is also punishable for giving away the child for labour.

Meanwhile, Bhanupriya claimed that she did not know the age of the girl.