A child rights organisation on Saturday has written to the National Child Rights Commission demanding action against actor Bhanupriya for allegedly employing a minor at her home.
Balala Hakkula Sangham (BHS), based in Hyderabad, asked the commission to free the minor who has been reportedly detained and sent to a home for an alleged theft in Bhanupriya's house.
In their petition, BHS wrote, "The child should be freed from bonded labour and the actress Bhanupriya should be arrested under the provisions of Child Labour Prevention act, illegal trafficking and sexual abuse of a girl at the workplace." They have asked the commission to issue appropriate directions to Director General of Police, Tamil Nadu and Director General of Police in Andhra Pradesh to take necessary action.
According to reports, the minor along with her mother, Prabhavathi, were detained by the Pondy Bazar police following a complaint by Gopalakrishnan, Bhanupriya’s brother.
In his complaint filed on Thursday, Gopalakrishnan alleged that 10 sovereigns of gold, Rs 1 lakh in cash, an iPad, a camera and two watches were stolen from Bhanupriya’s home. Subsequently, police recovered Rs 3,000 from the girl's mother. Prabhavathi is presently under judicial custody.
On January 24, alleging illegal confinement, torture and sexual harassment of her 14-year-old daughter, Prabhavathi, a resident of Samalkot in East Godavari district in Andhra Pradesh had approached the Samalkot police with the help of Child Line. However, the Samalkot police did not file the case, as the case fell under Tamil Nadu jurisdiction.
Prabhavathi had alleged that Bhanupriya's brother had been allegedly sexually harassing her daughter, who was working at their home.
Prabhavathi had told media that the employers didn't pay salary as promised and also did not send her back. Bhanupriya, however, had rejected these allegations and said that the girl was caught stealing valuables worth Rs 1.5 lakh from her home, and hence resorted to these allegations.