City police to probe child labour case against Bhanupriya

Bhanupriya had employed a 16-year-old girl from East Godavari district in Andhra Pradesh as a domestic worker in her house. In January, the mother of the girl had lodged a complaint at the Samalkot police station in East Godavari that Bhanupriya and her brother Gopalakrishnan were torturing the girl by asking her to work during the odd hours without providing her proper food or salary.

The actress was charged with IPC 323 (Punishment for voluntarily causing hurt), IPC 506 (Punishment for criminal intimidation), IPC 341 (Punishment for wrongful restraint), IPC 34 (Acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention), and Juvenile Justice Act Section 75 (Causing mental or physical suffering to the child) and Section 79 (Keeping a child under bondage for employment).

In February, Gopalakrishnan lodged a complaint at the Pondy Bazaar police station alleging that the juvenile had stolen 10 sovereigns, Rs 1 lakh cash, iPad, a camera and two watches. The police arrested the girl on charges of breach of trust and theft.

However, Shanmugapriya, the magistrate of the Juvenile Justice Board (JJB), acquitted the girl of all the charges on July 13, following which she returned to her home. She was acquitted as the prosecution failed to produce enough proof to substantiate the case slapped on the juvenile girl.

It may be noted that that the police personnel had earlier claimed that they have proof, including CCTV camera video clips, and seized the stolen goods from the girl and her mother. But the police team did not submit those seized valuables as exhibits before the court, sources said.

With the Samalkot police now transferring the case to the Pondy Bazaar police, city police are expected to take some action against the actress and her brother.