Police book Potluri Vara Prasad for trespass, intimidation

HYDERABAD: Businessman Potluri Vara Prasad (PVP), who seems to be turning into an alleged serial offender, was booked by the Banjara Hills police for trespassing in his neighbour’s property and threatening them using his ‘goons’. The police booked cases against him and his henchmen following a complaint from BJP senior leader D.K. Aruna’s daughter Shruthi Reddy.

According to the police, complainant Dharmavaram Kottam Shruti Reddy, 41, a resident of Road Number 7, Banjara Hills, told in her statement that in the afternoon of January 16, a man, later identified as Balaji, along with other goons employed by Vara Prasad harassed and intimidated her and her family regarding their society's common compound wall. “Vara Prasad and his men criminally trespassed and damaged their community wall with drilling machines to erect iron sheets. When asked to stop these illegal activities, they threatened her family and abused them in filthy language, causing them grief and a threat of security and privacy,” said the police.

Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, Sruthi Reddy said, “He has been harassing us by sending goons to our house. This has happened earlier as well and being a daughter of a BJP leader, if I feel so unsafe, I cannot even imagine the plight of a commoner with such people. We were told by the police that he had taken a restraining order against the cops about any dispute but we explained to them that this is a matter of safety and concern of people living in a respected society. The police have been cooperative so far and we are also thinking of approaching the police commissioner regarding this matter. We are concerned for the safety of our family and children and he has been using his influence to get out of cases.”

Further speaking about the issue, Vinoda Kailas, who is also a complainant facing issues from Vara Prasad and his men, said, “We have faith in the law and hope that justice is done.”

Taking cognizance of the matter, the Banjara Hills police booked cases under Sections 447 (criminal trespass), 427 (mischief causing damage), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 509 r/w 34 (insult the modesty of any woman by several persons) of the IPC and started a probe.