City police book kidnapping case against actor-turned-politician Chiranjeevi of Praja Rajyam party. Parents of Nalini, the womanat thecentre of a row over her inter-caste marriage, which was blessed byChiranjeevi, onSaturday lodged a complaint against Chiru and Katti Padma Rao in SR Nagarpolice station.Actor-turned-politician Chiranjeevi is caught in a controversy after heattended aninter-caste wedding that triggered objections from the bride's family.According to SR Nagar inspector of police, D Pratap, Nalini's parents ManiandSubba Rao visited the police station on Saturday and gave a wriiten complaintagainst the actor and his party members Padma Rao. They also alleged thatwhenvisited Padma Rao's house, they were forcefully locked up in a room. The occasion was the marriage of noted Dalit activist-writer K PadmaRao's sonChetan with Nalini, a 24- year-old engineer belonging to an upper caste.Chiranjeevi attended the wedding, held at Film Nagar Club in Hyderabad onSaturday last, and blessed the couple. He also spoke spiritedly about thevirtues ofinter-caste marriage and the need for creating a casteless society.The event came in the backdrop of a turmoil on Chiranjeevi's home frontwith theelopement of his teenaged daughter with her lover last year after hereportedlydisapproved of their marriage.The film star's presence at the Dalit boy's wedding led to a bitter rowwith thebride's parents who alleged their daughter was forced into the wedlock andkept inconfinement by the family of the Dalit writer and with the "active supportof theactor".Incidentally, Padma Rao had recently joined Chiranjeevi's Praja Rajyam partywhose main plank is social justice.Accusing the actor of staging a drama only to gain political mileage forhis newly-launched party, Nalini's parents T Subba Rao and T Mani pointed out howChiranjeevi himself had disapproved of his teenage daughter's proposal tomarryher lover outside the caste.They went to a local television channel with their version of the storyand madeallegations against the actor and the Dalit writer.Nalini's parents claimed their daughter was engaged to a boy of the samecaste justa week ago. "When we came to know about the marriage through the media, wewent to Chiranjeevi's party office to plead with him to arrange a meetingwith ourdaughter. We were chased away by his fans," they said.They also took strong objection to the reported offer made by Chiranjeeviwhileblessing the couple, at the wedding ceremony, that he would adopt the bride."How can he encourage such marriages without parental consent when he himselfhad suffered mental agony after the elopement of his daughter?" thebride's parentsquestioned in presence of media.However, Praja Rajyam Party spokesman P Prabhakar said the actor had attendedthe wedding only as a guest and he had no role in the marriage."The whole controversy is unwarranted and it is ridiculous to dragChiranjeevi intothe row," he said.Meanwhile, Padma Rao said he had readily accepted the marriage proposal as hefirmly believed in encouraging inter-caste weddings."When the bride's parents came to me and raised objections to themarriage, I triedto convince them that we need to accept the marriage. Since the girl is amajor, sheis free to take decision on her marriage", Padma Rao said.Appearing before the media last night along with her husband, Nalini saidshe hasmarried on her own free will.Meanwhile, her parents today met Home Minister K Jana Reddy and Telugu DesamParty chief N Chandrababu Naidu separately and sought justice.The film star-turned-politician set off a fierce protest from TamminaSubba Raoand T. Mani, parents of the bride, Nalini, for reportedly calling her ashis ‘adopteddaughter’ at the wedding which was performed in their absence in ‘castelesstradition’.When the question came up at a press conference, Praja Rajyam spokespersonParakala Prabhakar said Mr. Chiranjeevi had just attended the wedding as aninvitee and that nothing more need be interpreted into his presence.Mr. Subba Rao and Ms. Mani, accompanied by a relative, Prasad, approached atelevision channel on Thursday, alleging that Ms. Nalini was forced into themarriage. Ms. Mani referring to Chiru, wondered how a person who still didnotaccept the inter-caste marriage of his own daughter Srija, over a yearago, could‘adopt’ a 24-year-old girl without the consent of her parents.Cases have been booked against Chiranjeevi, Padma Rao, Ketan and C SrinivasUnder Sections 366, 343 and 506 (Kidnap) IPC.On the other hand, Nalini's parents Subba Rao and Mani have filed apetition withthe State Human Rights Commission complaining of foul play in the marriage oftheir daughter stating that she was forcibly and fradulently got marriedto Ketan,the son Katti Padma Raoon August 30 with the active connivance of Chiranjeeviand that their daughter was already engaged to another boy on August 25. andwhen they went and confronted Padma Rao, they were wrongfully confined forthree days in a house belonging to Mr CN Rao and inspite of a complaintlodgedwith the Sanjeev Reddy Nagar Police Station, no action has been taken.They had arranged a press meet on Saturday evening and told the press thatChiranjeevi was behind their daughter's marriage. They also told that theyhave allthe evidences to say that Chiru was the man behind their daughter's marriage.
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