Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Oct 31: Relating to sexual assault allegation levelled by actress Shruti Hariharan against Arjun Sarja, Karnataka State Women's Commission, on Saturday, registered Suo motu case. Its chairperson, Nagalakshmi Bai, directed city police commissioner, T Sunil Kumar, to hold detailed inquiry into the incident and submit report. Nagalakshmi also said that Shruti has been orally asked to come to the office and record her statement about the episode.

In the meantime, two witnesses quoted by Shruti Hariharan in her complaint, told the Cubbon Park police on Tuesday October 30 during recording of statement that although Shruti told them about Sarja's indecent behaviour, they were not eye witnesses to the incidents. The witnesses were the makeup man of the actress, Kiran, and assistant director of 'Vismaya' movie, Monica.

Sarja, in the meantime, approached high court with a petition seeking to quash a complaint filed against him by Shruti alleging outraging modesty of women, sexual harassment and threat to life. He also filed interim request seeking stay against the complaint and all processes connected thereto till the application filed by him is disposed of. Shruti and Cubbon Park police have been named as defendants in the petition. This petition may be taken up for hearing shortly. Sarja insisted that he had never behaved indecently with the actress, either during the filming of 'Vismaya' movie or thereafter.