Govt employee accuses Jana Sena MLA of sexual assault

JAna Sena company chairwoman and Andhra Pradesh surrogate chief government minister Pawan Kalyan on wed ordered an internal inquiry into serious allegations of sexual assault and intimidation levelled against party MLA Arava Sridhar from Railway Koduru assembly constituency in Kadapa district.An official statement from the party said a three-member committee comprising senior leaders T Shivashankar, Thamballapalli Ramadevi and TC Varun would probe into the allegations against Sridhar and verify the facts.“The MLA has been directed to appear before the panel and submit his explanation within seven days. The committee will conduct a detailed investigation and submit a report to the party leadership, which will take a final decision based on its findings,” the statement said.Pending completion of the inquiry, the party asked Sridhar to stay away from all party programmes and activities.Meanwhile, the Andhra Pradesh State Women’s Commission has also taken note of the allegations. Commission chairperson Rayapati Sailaja spoke to the complainant over the phone on Tuesday and assured her of a thorough inquiry and appropriate action after verification.The controversy erupted after a video statement by the woman, a state government employee, went viral, in which she alleged that Sridhar sexually exploited her for over a year on the pretext of marriage, forced her to undergo multiple abortions, and subjected her to threats and harassment. She claimed the abuse began soon after Sridhar’s election as MLA in 2024.Sridhar denied all allegations, calling them false propaganda and claiming that deepfake videos were being circulated to defame him. In a video message, he said he would pursue legal action against those behind what he termed a malicious campaign.The MLA’s mother, Prameela, also alleged that the accusations were deliberate and baseless. Jana Sena leader Tatamshetti Nagendra claimed the complainant had demanded ₹25 crore from the MLA and said the party possessed audio and video evidence of threats.The issue has triggered sharp political reactions, with the opposition YSR Congress Party condemning the alleged sexual assault by the Jana Sena MLA on the woman employee.YSRCP’s state women wing president and MLC Varudu Kalyani strongly condemned the alleged brutality of Sridhar subjecting a woman employee to rape, threats, and mental torture for nearly one-and-a-half years.She said the coalition government had completely failed to protect women, allowing ruling party MLAs to act with impunity under the intoxication of power. She demanded that a suo motu case be registered against Arava Sridhar, his immediate arrest, suspension from JanaSena, and disqualification as an MLA.