Kadambari Jethwani, a Mumbai-based actress, has alleged exploitation and harassment by three senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officers in Andhra Pradesh. She claims the officers unlawfully detained her and her family at the behest of a film producer and political figure associated with the YSR Congress party.
The suspended officers are P. Sitharama Anjaneyulu, former intelligence chief; Kranti Rana Tata, former Vijayawada Police Commissioner; and Vishal Gunni, the then Deputy Commissioner of Police in Vijayawada. Jethwani had reportedly interacted with these officers prior to her complaint.
Jethwani denies the fraud allegations made by film producer and political figure K.V.R. Vidyasagar. Vidyasagar accused her of forgery and extortion related to land acquisition. This led to Jethwani and her family’s arrest by Andhra Pradesh police in Mumbai.
Jethwani asserts that she and her parents faced humiliation and were unlawfully detained for over 40 days before being released on bail.
One suspended officer is accused of abusing his authority by ordering Jethwani’s arrest before a formal First Information Report (FIR) was filed. The officer is said to have arranged the arrest without proper legal procedures.
The investigation into the officers’ conduct was launched by Director General of Police Dwarka Tirumala Rao after Jethwani filed a formal online complaint. Jethwani detailed her harassment experiences in an interview with Vijayawada police on August 30, 2024.
Kadambari Jethwani, known for her debut in the Hindi film ‘Sadda Adda,’ has also appeared in regional films such as ‘Oujia’ (Kannada), ‘Aata’ (Telugu), ‘I Love Me’ (Malayalam), and ‘Oh Yaara Ainvayi Ainvayi Lut Gaya’ (Punjabi).
