Director, actor accused in starlet’s sexual abuse get bail

Vijayawada: Director Puvvala Chalapati and actor Srujan alias Konduru Stephen alias Mitra Varma who were arrested on charges of alleged sexual harassment of a starlet a fortnight ago secured bail here on Friday.The upcoming actress lodged a complaint against the duo on August 15. The Patamata police station here booked the director and hero for kidnap and accident apart from sexual harassment.

The heroine, along with the accused, was on their way in a car owned by the starlet from Hyderabad to Bhimavaram for shooting on August 14. However, the accused started misbehaving with the heroine midway and caused accident near Nidamanuru. The car got damaged in the accident.

While actor Srujan hails from Vegiwada near Eluru in West Godavari district, Chalapati belongs to Kavali in Nellore district. The actress was sitting in front seat when the actor-director duo started harassing sexually. She was helpless and was protesting their excesses. While she was fighting with them to protect from sexual assault, the director who was driving the car lost control over steering wheel. The car brushed a truck resulting in accident. The actress sustained minor injuries in the incident.

People gathered there helped her to admit to a private hospital. The actress gathered courage while she was getting treatment. She wanted to reveal the injustice meted out to her at the hands of prominent personalities. Just like a heroine in a movie shows courage to face her challenges, she approached the police. Though she took adequate time to recover psychologically, she approached the police at last to explain her travails with the offenders.