All is not well between veteran Telugu actor Mohan Babu and his son Manchu Manoj.
Mohan Babu has filed a police complaint against his son Manchu Manoj and daughter-in-law Monika claiming that he has been threatened by them. He also requested the police to provide him protection.
As per Mohan Babu's police complaint, Manoj along with 'some anti-social elements employed by him caused a disturbance on Sunday at his house Manchu Town in Jalpally in Rangareddy district.'
'I fear for my safety, my valuables, and my property. I have been informed that these individuals are waiting for me to return to my house with the intent to harm me and instil fear, compelling me to abandon my residence permanently. All those individuals are anti-social elements and are causing fear and threat to life to those who are at my home, including me,' Mohan Babu said in the police complaint.
Mohan Babu demanded legal action against Manoj, Monika and their associates. He also urged the police to evict them from his property.
'Provide me with adequate protection to ensure my safety and allow me to access my home without fear,' said the veteran actor, who runs a chain of educational institutions including Mohan Babu University.
But in a turn of events, Mohan Babu was booked for allegedly assaulting a journalist at his residence in Jalpalli, Rangareddy district, on December 10.
The incident occurred around 7:50 pm, when the journalist, along with other media personnel, was covering the ongoing dispute between the actor and his son, actor Manchu Manoj.
According to the police FIR, a formal complaint was lodged by the reporter, and the statement was recorded by Sub-Inspector B Dayakar Reddy at the Pahadishareef police station.
The complainant recounted that he and other journalists were invited inside the house by Manchu Manoj at 8:05 pm but during their coverage, Mohan Babu allegedly confronted the journalist in an aggressive manner.
The actor is accused of allegedly forcibly grabbing the reporter's microphone and cell phone, using abusive language, and physically attacking the journalist with the microphone, which reportedly contained a steel pipe and metal logo. The assault reportedly left the journalist with a severe head injury that caused significant bleeding.
The journalist was taken to the Trident Hospital in Shamshabad, where he received medical attention.
Meanwhile, the Hindustan Times newspaper reports that Manoj filed a counter complaint against his father, alleging that 10 unidentified people entered his house on Sunday night. When he confronted them, a fight broke out.
'It deeply saddens me to address the malicious, false, and baseless allegations raised against me and my wife, Mounika, by my father, Dr M Mohan Babu. These claims are not only untrue but also part of a deliberate effort to defame me, silence my voice, and create unnecessary family strife,' Manoj Manchu posted on X.
Mohan Babu has three children. Vishnu and Lakshmi are born to his first wife Vidya Devi while Manoj is his son from Vidya Devi's younger sister Nirmala Devi, whom he married after Vidya's demise.
The family feud reportedly started a couple of years ago but came to light in 2023.
The Hindustan Times states that Vishnu had been living with his family at his father Mohan Babu's residence, while Manoj had been living separately. In 2023, Vishnu moved out and Manoj's mother Nirmala Devi asked her son to move in with them.
But the same year, Manoj posted a video on Facebook and claimed that Vishnu barged into his house and beat up two persons. Manoj did not state the reason for the dispute but claimed that it happened often. He deleted the video later.
The family feud is reportedly due to the division of the family business and properties.
