The ongoing episode of forgery and criminal conspiracy involving former chief executive officer of Telugu television channel TV9 V Ravi Prakash and his accomplice and actor Shivaji took an interesting turn on Saturday.
Even as the Cyberabad police issued a lookout notice on Ravi Prakash and Sivaji to prevent them from fleeing the country, Sivaji released a video to the media in the afternoon stating that he was very much available in the city and had not been absconding as being propagated in the media.
“I went to Tirupati and got my head tonsured. Later, I went to neighbouring Karnataka and Tamil Nadu to take part in the campaign for my friends contesting the elections there. Subsequently, I suffered severe sunstroke and had been undergoing treatment. I am now gradually recovering. So, I have not gone anywhere and will appear before the police in a couple of days,” Sivaji said.
He admitted he had purchased shares from Ravi Prakash in February 2018 and it was a fact.
“The police are claiming to have retrieved some mails between me and Ravi Prakash, stating that the share transfer agreement was backdated. The issue is between me and Ravi Prakash and we can make changes in the draft agreement any number of times. The issue is now in the court. How can the police describe a civil issue as a criminal case and project as if we had committed a big crime?” he asked.
Sivaji said he had moved the tribunal only because the management had changed.
“What is there for the police to conduct searches in my house, terrorise my family members and finally leave without collecting a single incriminating document?” he asked.
He alleged that the Telangana government was taking revenge on him for questioning the bifurcation and some Andhra leaders were also targeting him as he had questioned their conspiracy against the TDP government.
He further said that he had a close association with My Home Group promoter J Rameshwar Rao and he would reveal everything to him, if he wanted to know.
“I am not afraid of arrests or jail. What would they do? Will the police kill me?” he asked.