The son of AP minister Ravela Kishore Babu and his driver were arrested for allegedly trying to molest a teacher. They have been remanded to 14-day custody.
Ravela Susheel, son of Ravela Kishore Babu, Andhra Pradesh Social Welfare Minister; and Manikonda Ramesh Rao of Namalagundu, Secunderabad, are cooling their heels in the Chanchalguda central jail for trying to molest a teacher on Road No. 13, Banjara Hills, on March 2.
The accused were arrested under the Nirbhaya Act for allegedly accosting and trying to molest a school teacher on Friday. They were produced before a magistrate at the latter's Turkayamjal residence, and were remanded to 14-day judicial custody.
According to A Venkateswara Rao, IPS, Deputy Commissioner of Police, West Zone, Hyderabad, on March 2 at about 4 pm a Blue Colts vehicle received information that a mob was manhandling two persons. The police rushed to the spot near White House on Road No. 13, Banjara Hills, where they found a person injured, and the mob reported that the man and another person with tattoos were stalking and passing lewd remarks at a lady.
The police dispersed the mob and asked the alleged victim Fathima Begum to go to the Banjara Hills police station and report the matter. While Ramesh was taken to a hospital, the other accused with the tattoos escaped from the scene amid the melee (that's the police version).
Fathima Begum lodged a complaint with the police stating that a four-wheeler with an MLA sticker had followed her, and that a person who claimed his name was name Appa Rao and another person with tattoos teased her with lewd remarks and also tried to catch her hand while she was walking towards her house. She made a hue and cry, and that resulted in bystanders chasing the vehicle and manhandled the inmates of the SUV.
As per the complaint, a case was registered under Cr. No. 171/2016, U / Sec. 509 IPC.
During the investigation, it was revealed that the alleged accused were Ravela Susheel, son of A P minister Ravela Kishore Babu, and the former's driver M Ramesh Rao. The driver had mentioned his name as Appa Rao to the mob.
Later, the complainant, including other eye-witnesses, gave other vital details, resulting in the police adding Section 354 IPC (the Nirbhaya Act) to the case against Susheel and Ramesh by filing a memo.
Investigation revealed that Ramesh (Accused No. 2) was driving the vehicle with number AP 7 CK 1777, and Accused No. 1 Ravela Susheel was sitting behind the driver's seat. Between 3 pm and 3:30 pm the duo stalked Fatima Begum on Road No. 13 while she was on her way to her house from the school where she was working.
The frightened Fatima moved ahead at a quicker pace, but the accused persistently followed her and passed lewd remarks, and then pulled her towards the SUV. She raised an alarm, and the bystanders rushed to the spot and chased the SUV, and manhandled the accused after stopping the SUV.
The police served notices on the accused at Quarter No. 20 of the Ministers Quarters, belonging to A P minister Ravela Kishore Babu, to appear before the investigating officer within 48 hours. On Sunday afternoon, the two accused appeared before the police and pleaded guilty during interrogation. The accused were then arrested and remanded.
Venkateswara Rao said that the Telangana government would take strict action against anyone who harassed girls.
"There is no political pressure in the Susheel case," he added.