Hyderabad: Purna Chandra Badhavat, accused in the suicide case of journalist Swetcha Votarkar has been charged under the POCSO Act by the Chikkadpally police on Sunday, June 29.
The charges were levied after the victim’s father’s statement that the accused misbehaved with her minor daughter.
Badhavat who surrendered to the police on June 28 was sent to judicial custody on charges of abetment to suicide. The accused was booked following a complaint from Votarkar’s father V Shankar, who alleged that Badhavath had promised her marriage and broke it.
According to a DC report, the Chikkadpally police registered a POCSO case against Badhavat and are yet to record the statement of her minor daughter. Before his arrest, Badhavath released a letter stating that he did not drive Votarkar to suicide. The accused blamed the journalist’s parents for neglecting her since childhood.
Badhavat also claimed that he cared for Votarkar’s daughter and that he paid her school fee.
Addressing the media, Votarkar’s daughter said, “He was affectionate to my mother. However, he misbehaved with me. I told my mother but she wanted me to look at him like a father figure. I never liked him but had to pretend to make my mother happy.”
Votarkar’s father Shankar dismissed the claims of the accused and told the media that Badhavat never paid the fee. She has been in the school for nine years. Swetcha and Purna were together for four years. “We never liked him and if anything, the girl only suffered around him,” he added.
Shankar further told the media that he was concerned about Badhavath hurting his daughter. However, he couldn’t convince Votarkar. “When Swetcha confronted Purna about his behaviour towards her daughter, he said he was the same with his own kids too,” Shankar told the media.
Follow on Twitter | Posted by Mohammed Baleegh | 
