The noose is tightening around three top Indian Police Service (IPS) officers who played key roles during the Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy government and were allegedly responsible for arresting and torturing Mumbai-based actress Kadambari Jethwani and her family in Vijayawada in February this year.
The National Democratic Alliance government, led by Telugu Desam Party president and Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, has taken serious note of the alleged harassment of Jethwani. A forgery case had been registered against her by the Ibrahimpatnam police near Vijayawada.
On Friday, Jethwani formally lodged a complaint with the Ibrahimpatnam police against former state intelligence chief P S R Anjaneyulu, former Vijayawada police commissioner Kanthi Rana Tata, and Deputy Commissioner of Police Vishal Gunny.
She alleged that Vishal Gunny traveled to Mumbai to arrest her and bring her to Vijayawada on February 2. Notably, Jethwani was taken into custody before a case had even been filed against her, based on a complaint from YSRCP leader Kukkala Vidyasagar.
Following a preliminary inquiry, Director General of Police Dwaraka Tirumala Rao ordered the suspension of two police officials: then-Ibrahimpatnam Inspector M Satyanarayana and Vijayawada West Zone Assistant Commissioner of Police K Hanumantha Rao.
Sources indicate that the special investigating officer, Sravanthi Roy, has gathered sufficient evidence to show that the three senior IPS officers were involved in fabricating the case against Jethwani.
It appears that several police officers who allegedly tortured Jethwani have turned approvers in the case, testifying before the inquiry officer that they acted on the instructions of the top IPS officers.
The government is reportedly consulting legal experts before deciding whether to file charges against the three IPS officers, sources added.