Kerala: Actor's complaint of molestation in public goes unheard

Kollam, Nov 2: Shwetha Menon an Indian

, model and a television anchor, formally complained to Kollam district collector B Mohanan on Friday that she had been molested at a public function. On Saturday, she alleged that the official had failed to take any action and instead denied she ever spoke to him about the incident.

It so happened that on Friday evening, Shwetha was the chief guest at the inauguration of President's Trophy boat race at Ashtamudi Lake. The actress was accompanied by P N Peethampara Kurup, Congress leader and Member of Parliament from Kollam, on the stage. TOI reported that the MP was seen right beside her throughout the programme and footage aired by TV news channels revealed suspicious behaviour by 73-year old Kurup.

Actor Shwetha hasn't filed a formal police complaint yet

Talking to the media at her Kochi home, the actress on Saturday said she stood by all the charges and would write to the chief minister shortly. "I feel degraded and disrespected. As a woman I am very hurt with the Kollam district collector's statement that I didn't speak to him about the incident on Friday as this is creating a false impression that I am lying ", Shwetha said.

"I had gone there on the collector's invitation and he had not provided any security for me. After the incident, it took me 5 to 6 hours to complain to the collector and he apologised for what had happened", Shwetha said on Saturday.

Shwetha's husband Sreevalsan Menon said, "The district collector spoke to us from Peethambara Kurup's mobile on Friday evening. We are upset that the collector took the whole matter in a casual manner. We can't confirm who is the accused and we are yet to lodge a police complaint. We will submit a detailed letter to the CM".

Shwetha hasn't filed a formal police complaint yet nor has she named the MP directly.

Kurup denied the allegations and said he was neither complainant nor an accused in the case. "The visuals being aired are strange. I will bring the real visuals to the people soon and truth will come out then", he told reporters in Kollam.

Opposition leader V S Achuthanandan who dubbed the act as "heinous" wanted the police to register a case suo motu. Chief minister Oommen Chandy and home minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan said the incident would be probed if Shwetha filed a complaint.

OneIndia News