Andhra suspends 3 IPS officers for 'framing', arresting Mumbai actress

VIJAYAWADA: Andhra Pradesh govt suspended Sunday three senior IPS officers on charges of framing, arresting and harassing a Mumbai-based actress earlier this year in an alleged attempt to coerce her withdraw a sexual assault complaint in her home city. This is possibly the first time so many senior IPS officers have been suspended in the state in one go for alleged misuse of power and dereliction of duty.
The action against PSR Anjaneyulu, Kanthi Rana Tata and Vishal Gunni was taken following an inquiry report which outlined significant lapses and misuse of power by them.SV Rajashekara Babu, commissioner of police in NTR district, submitted the inquiry report to DGP Dwaraka Tirumala Rao. Anjaneyulu is former intelligence chief, Tata former NTR district police chief and Gunni former NTR district rural DCP.
Two other officers, former ACP Hanumanth Rao and former Ibrahimpatnam circle inspector Satyanarayana, were suspended earlier in the case.
The actress lodged a formal complaint Friday. In her complaint, she accused the three IPS officers of conspiring with Kukkala Vidyasagar, a local businessman and YSRCP leader, to register a false case against her. The actress, along with her elderly parents, was arrested from Mumbai on Feb 2 and released on bail after 42 days in jail.
According to her complaint, the false case was part of a larger conspiracy to force the actress into withdrawing the sexual assault complaint she had filed against an individual in Mumbai. Vidyasagar allegedly forged documents and produced false witnesses to frame the actress.
The actress also claimed that during her detention, the cops denied her and her parents legal rights, refused access to relatives or lawyers, and subjected them to severe physical and mental harassment. She claimed the officers threatened her with more false cases in other states. "This has taken a devastating toll on our mental and physical health. We were left suffering from anxiety, depression and panic attacks," the actress stated in her complaint.