Case of attempt to outrage modesty of woman filed against Arjun Sarja

Agencies
October 27, 2018

Bengaluru, Oct 27: A case of attempt to outrage the modesty of a woman has been slapped against popular South Indian film actor Arjun Sarja on a complaint by multi-lingual actress Sruthi Hariharan.

The actress, who has essayed roles in several Kannada films in a post on her Facebook page praising the '#Metoo" movement, had last week accused Sarja of "lewd and complete unprofessional behavior" with her during the shooting for a bilingual film in 2016.

Sruthi's complaint with the Cubbon Park police came a day after the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce (KFCC)'s attempt to bring about a conciliation between the two actors failed.

"Based on a complaint from Sruthi Hariharan, we have registered a case under Sections 354 354A, 506 and 509 of theIPC.

The main content of it is that he misbehaved with her.We will investigate all the aspects mentioned in the complaint," DCP (Central Bengaluru) D Devaraj told reporters.

Section 354 relates to assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty, 506 to punishment for criminal intimidation and 509 to word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman.

The actress has also mentioned the manager and two others as the witnesses, Devaraj said, adding, "We will inquire with them too."

Sruthi has alleged that Sarja had sexually abused her since 2015.

The actress recalled one incident in December 2015 when she was travelling with her team to her house in her car and Sarja followed her in his vehicle.

When the vehicles stopped at a traffic signal, he passed a sexually explicit comment, she alleged.

The actress further stated that the #MeToo movement gave her strength to share her story with people.

After Sruthi's Facebook post last week,Sarja had told a TV channel that he has great respect for women right from his childhood and that he was never involved in any incident that disrespected women or embarrassed them.

He had also said he respects "#metoo" and values it, but cautioned against its misuse.

Sarja had also said that he has shared screen space with 60-70 actresses in the 150 movies he has acted in and has a good relationship with all of them.

Days after Sruthi's charge, Sarja on Thursday filed a Rs five defamation suit against her in a city court.

"There is no question of compromise because the pain is intense. Not only me, but my family, friends and above all, my fans in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu are deeply hurt.

I don't want others to be sacrificed like this," Sarja had said after the KFCC's failed patch-up efforts.

"We have gone to court. You will come to know in the coming days who are behind this campaign against me," Sarja had said after the meeting.

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News Network
November 22,2025

Mangaluru: Police Commissioner Sudheer Kumar Reddy C H has warned of strict action against individuals spreading rumours and attempting to create insecurity within the Muslim community and fuel hatred between Hindus and Muslims through social media.

Referring to a recent social media post alleging that police personnel had entered a masjid premises to check whether beef was being cooked, the commissioner said miscreants were attempting to push their communal agenda. 

“A group of people, both from Mangaluru and abroad, are trying hard to spread rumours. For the past 10 days, they have been attempting to rake up old issues, highlight routine matters as controversies, or fabricate news altogether,” he said.

He reiterated that any such attempts to disturb communal harmony would invite legal action. “Cases will be registered and the accused will be brought to book,” he stated.

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News Network
November 30,2025

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Mangaluru, Nov 30: A 22-year-old college student succumbed to her injuries at a private hospital in Mangaluru today, days after she was hit by a goods tempo while crossing a road in Padubidri.

The deceased has been identified as Preksha, a resident of Nadsalu Billitota in Padubidri. The fatal incident occurred as Preksha, who was returning home after completing her examination, attempted to cross the service road towards Mangaluru. She was struck by a goods tempo approaching from the Udupi side, causing her to fall and sustain a severe head injury.

Prompt action from local residents ensured she received immediate first aid before being rushed to a hospital in Mangaluru for specialised treatment. Despite medical efforts, she passed away while undergoing care.

Preksha was a student at Karavali College, Vamanjoor on the outskirts of Mangaluru city. The tragedy is compounded by the fact that she belonged to a financially vulnerable family, having previously lost her father. She is survived by her mother and brother.

A case related to the accident has been registered at the Padubidri police station, and an investigation is underway to determine the exact circumstances that led to the collision. The incident highlights the growing concerns over road safety, particularly on busy service roads, and serves as a tragic reminder of the human cost of traffic accidents.

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News Network
November 21,2025

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Udupi: The Malpe Police have arrested two men from Uttar Pradesh for allegedly sharing classified information related to Indian Navy vessels with individuals in Pakistan, posing a serious threat to national security.

According to a complaint filed by the CEO of Udupi Cochin Shipyard, Malpe—an institution under the Union Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways—the prime accused, Rohit (29), was working as an insulator through subcontractor M/S Shushma Marine Pvt Ltd. He had earlier served at Cochin Shipyard Limited in Kochi, Kerala, where naval ships are under construction.

Udupi SP Hariram Shankar said the accused had unlawfully shared, via WhatsApp, confidential identification numbers of Navy-related ships and other classified details while working in Kerala, allegedly for illegal gains.

After joining the Malpe shipyard unit, Rohit reportedly continued collecting sensitive information through a friend in Kochi and circulated it to unauthorised individuals, violating national security protocols and potentially endangering India’s sovereignty, unity, and integrity.

Based on the complaint, Malpe Police registered a case under Section 152 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Sections 3 and 5 of the Official Secrets Act, 1923.

A police team led by Karkala Subdivision Assistant Superintendent of Police Harsha Priyamvada—along with PSI Anil Kumar D, ASI Harish, and PC Ravi Jadhav—conducted the investigation and arrested the two accused, identified as Rohit (29) and Santri (37), both residents of Sultanpur district, Uttar Pradesh.

The duo was produced before the court, which remanded them in judicial custody till December 3. Further investigation is in progress.

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