Sruthi Hariharan meets women commission chief

Sruthi Hariharan on Wednesday met the chairperson of the Karnataka State Commission for Women who had taken suo-motu cognisance of the complaints made by her against actor Arjun Sarja. According to commission chairperson Nagalakshmi Bai, the panel had asked Sruthi to come and give more details about the developments in the case for further proceedings. Meanwhile, Sruthi allegedly used some “disrespectful words” about media which created tension at the commission. However, she later apologised.

The commission is yet to send a notice to Sarja. Sources said that Sruthi sought the commission’s help in “ensuring justice to her.”Meanwhile, Nagalakshmi Bai sought a report from  Bengaluru City Police Commissioner T Suneel Kumar on the allegations. The report is yet to be submitted to the commission, said a senior police officer.

The Karnataka High Court on Wednesday extended the interim order that Cubbon Park police should not arrest actor Arjun Sarja till November 28, the next date of hearing, in relation to a case registered by actor Sruthi Hariharan over the #MeToo row. The interim order was extended by Justice P S Dinesh Kumar after the government advocate informed the court that the police will not take any precipitative action against Sarja. On November 2, the court asked the Cubbon Park police not to arrest Sarja after hearing the petition filed by him seeking to quash the FIR registered based on the complaint filed by Sruthi on the charges of sexual harassment.

Sruthi filed a complaint with the Cubbon Park police against actor Arjun Sarja for alleged sexual harassment  while rehearsing for the film Vismaya in November 2015 and an FIR was registered under Sections 354 (Assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 354 A (Sexual Harassment), and 509 (Word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman).