The ongoing tussle between the Andhra Pradesh government and a legislator of Opposition Telugu Desam TV Rama Rao over his alleged involvement in a case of sexual abuse took a curious turn on Saturday with five girls appearing before the state home minister and giving a statement against the MLA.
The give girls from Kerala, who studied at MLA's nursing college in Nidadvole town of West Godavari district, along with their parents, met Home Minister P Sabita Indra Reddy and told her that they were subjected to sexual abuse and threats by the legislator.
"As the case was already under investigations by the CID, they were sent to the police headquarters," said the home minister. The CID officials recorded the statements of the girls.
Later, they also appeared before the AP State Human Rights Commission and narrated their tales of woes. Alleging that they were repeatedly abused by the legislator and kept confined to MLA's room for three days, they demanded stringent action, "so that no other girl suffers like us in future".
The girls alleged that after the sordid happenings at the college came to the light, the legislator threatened them with dire consequences and sent them back to Kerala with a warning that if they speak out they will be killed. They also alleged that henchmen of the legislator accompanied them up to Chennai.
Earlier, another group of girl students of the nursing college had alleged that the CID authorities were threatening and forcing them to give a complaint against the legislator.
The case of TV Rama Rao, a Dalit legislator who represent Kovvuru constituency of West Godavari, hit the headline on June 14 when the police arrested him amid the rumor that a girl was raped and killed in his nursing college.
While the legislator was let off on personal surety next day, the investigations by the West Godavari district superintendent of police could not find any evidence or clue of the crime at the college premises. No girl was also found missing from the college. Subsequently all the students left for their homes.
But the government decided to entrust the case to the CID for further investigations.
Alleging victimization and harassment by the Congress government, the TDP legislator and his family members went on a fast unto death five days ago.
Rama Rao, who also met the chief Minister to demand the withdrawal of case against him, said that because of the false and baseless allegations against him, his daughter's engagement was broken by her in-laws.
Reacting to the new development Rama Rao said, "This is a political conspiracy against me to trap me in a false case. They have bribed the girls to speak against me. They are doing it to save the newspaper and television channel of Chief Minister's son from losing credibility as they had reported wrongly in the first place against me", he said.
"The case was booked against me more than a fortnight ago. What is the meaning of these girls appearing now to lodge a complaint", he asked.
Arun Lakshman in Thiruvananthapuram adds:
Kerala health minister P.K.Sreemathy has petitioned Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Rajashekhara Reddy that a Keralite nursing student was raped in Andhra Pradesh by a TDP MLA.
