TDP MLA from Kovvur, West Godavari district, T V Rama Rao was arrested on Monday evening by CID (crime) on charges of molesting five students of the nursing college run by the MLA. The four students, all hailing from Kerala, had alleged that the MLA tried to rape one girl and made advances towards four others.

Nimisha Jacobs, MS Leena, Neetu Sailajan, Neetu Mooljoy and Dhanalakshmi, had called on Home Minister P Sabita Indra Reddy on July 15 and submitted a representation in which they accused the TDP MLA of attempting to rape a student and misbehaving with others. They made the allegations after Kovvur police which initially investigated a complaint of rape and murder of the college dismissed it as a false complaint and released the MLA who was detained for questioning. The state government later handed over the investigation to the CID (crime).

However, the girls appeared in Hyderabad a fortnight later and met the Home Minister who asked them to give their statements to the CID. The girls also met AP State Human Rights Commission chairman B Subhashan Reddy, who directed the Principal Secretary, Health, to ensure that the girls get free education.

According to the CID, the girls complained hat the MLA made ugly advances to one student saying that if she cooperated with him, he would take her to Singapore and marry her. ``We kept quiet for many days as it would also tarnish our image but the harassment continued. But on June 14, he tried to rape a girl. He also threatened us with dire consequences if we mentioned it to anyone,’’ Nimisha said in her statement to the CID.

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