CHENNAI: No action has been taken against actor Bhanupriya for engaging child labourers even after multiple complaints against her, alleged child rights activists speaking on the sidelines of World Day Against Child Labour.
“Bhanupriya had employed at least four children who were 14 or below, violating the Child and Adolescent Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act. The Samalkot police had issued an FIR following complaint of one child.
Two other children, who worked for the actor, have also lodged complaints. Despite this, no action has been taken,” said Sesha Rathnam, a child rights activist from People’s Action for Rural Awakening.
A woman from East Godavari in Andhra Pradesh had filed a complaint against Bhanupriya in January with Samalkot police accusing her of taking her 14-year-old daughter to Chennai as domestic help and allegedly harassing her.
The woman has further alleged that the girl was not paid regularly and the family was not allowed to meet her.
The actor has however denied these allegations. She in fact, lodged a complaint of robbery charges against the girl.
When Express contacted her on phone, her close aide said that the girl was over 18 years old and that her family was unaware of anything more than the robbery case filed by Bhanupriya against the girl.
“The girl and her mother were arrested. We don’t know anything more,” the aide said.
Under the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Amendment Act 2016, those employing children below 14 year can get up to two-year imprisonment and a fine of maximum `50,000. The mother is also punishable for giving away the child for labour.