Three Andhra IPS officers suspended for imposing false case against actor Kadambari Jethwani

Amaravati: Three IPS officers - Vishal Gunni, the then Deputy Commissioner of Police, Vijayawada Police Commissionerate, Kanthi Rana Tata, the then Commissioner of Police, Vijayawada and P Sitharama Anjaneyulu, the then Director General of Police, Intelligence has been suspended following allegations of involvement in the case allegedly foisted against a Mumbai actor, Kadambari Narendra Kumari Jethwani.

It is alleged that a false case has been registered (90/2024) at the Ibrahimpatnam Police Station, Vijayawada, in 2024 against the actor and her family members.

On August 29, after several media reports alleged the involvement of Andhra Pradesh police officers, including top IPS officers, in a case allegedly foisted against a Bollywood actor Kadambari Jetwani, the AP Police has appointed K Sravanthi Roy, assistant commissioner of police, CCS, NTR Police Commissionerate, as the enquiry officer to look into the allegations. The officer has been instructed to begin an inquiry and submit the report.

On Sunday, the Director General of Police reported that a detailed enquiry report had been received from the Commissioner of Police, NTR Police Commissionerate, Vijayawada, regarding allegations on the investigation in Cr No. 90/2024 u/s 384,385,386,388,420,457,468,471r/w 12 (B) IPC of lbrahimpatnam PS against Jethwani.

As per the enquiry report, these three IPS officers failed to properly supervise the investigation. They did not ensure that the complaint was thoroughly examined and essential investigation was carried out before issuing instructions to proceed with arrests.

IPS officer Vishal Gunni met the then Director General of Police, Intelligence on January 31, 2024, and upon the oral instructions, hastily proceeded to Mumbai on February 2, 2024, to effect arrests and arrested Jethwani. The FIR was registered on February 2, 2024 at 6:30 AM and as predetermined, Vishal Gunni proceeded to Mumbai without any written instructions or without any foreign passport from his superior officers in this regard.

"This conduct makes it extremely clear that action was initiated well before the crime was registered and that the officer was acting solely based on the prior instructions of the then Commissioner of Police, Vijayawada, and the then Director General of Police, Intelligence, issued on January 31, even before registration of the crime. It was further reported that Vishal did not even claim the T.A., though he went to Mumbai to do official work. Vishal Gunni failed to give an opportunity to the person/s arrested to give explanation, nor did he conduct any investigation before highhandedly arresting her," said the memo issued.

The whole act was carried out within a few hours of registration of FIR without proper documentary or material evidence, which is nothing but sheer disregard for the basic tenets of investigation.

As per the oral instructions of Kanthi Rana Tata, the then commissioner of Police, Vijayawada, CC to Commissioner of Police booked flight tickets for Vishal Gunni, and Rama Murthy, ADCP, Taskforce, Inspector Sridhar and SI Sharif.

It is further reported that the Officers have the ability and wherewithal to influence the witnesses and accomplices involved in the episode and that it is highly likely that he would proceed to Mumbai and also make all efforts to destroy the available evidence/ records.

It is pertinent to note that Kadambari Jetwani made allegations that a YSRC leader Kukkala Vidyasagar deceived her under the false pretence of marriage. Following this, he, with the help of influential IPS officers, threatened her and her family members, as per the case details.

Vidyasagar and Jethwani met long ago at a private function and became friends. She later distanced herself from Vidyasagar after he allegedly began to torture her by sending nude pictures of himself.

Vidyasagar had lodged a case against the actress in February 2024, alleging that she had usurped his property by forging documents. Vidyasagar and Jethwani met long ago at a private function and became friends. He accused the actor and her family of criminal conspiracy and other charges. A police team from Vijayawada reportedly went to Mumbai and arrested the actor and her parents and brought them to Vijayawada.

As per the complaint by Jethwani, some men in civil dress came to Mumbai and they took all my belongings. "I thought me and my family was getting kidnapped. They seized all our five mobile phones and one IPAD when they took us into custody. When I was arrested, they informed me that Kukkala Vidyasagar filed a case They put the alleged document in my possession and falsely alleged that they recovered from there. At the time of my apprehension, I requested the Police to allow me to talk to an IPS officer in-charge, but I was not allowed was arrested at around 3 PM and I was taken to Juhu PS and from there I was taken to the Magistrate house in Town, Mumbai," said Jethwani in her compliant.

During the time of arrest, the cops did not reveal from which PS and why they have come and they did not even show their ID cards and warrant. She alleged that they falsely influenced mediators to sign on the confessional statement which they did not give.

Speaking to the media on several occasions, the actor alleged that some of the top IPS officers during YSRCP tenure tortured her family members, forcibly entered her house and seized their phones and documents. The police have lodged false cases against her, kept her in jail and subjected her to harassment for around six months, she had said.

Jethwani alleged that Vidyasagar has many extramarital affairs and faced multiple rejections. When she rejected him, he developed low self-esteem and wanted to defame her. "He fabricated a document and gave a complaint as if I had forged his signature. The contents in his complaint are totally false and baseless. There is a big conspiracy in implicating me in a wrong case to prevent me from giving the statement and presenting evidence and pressure me to just finish off the Mumbai Case," said Jethwani.