CHENNAI: Peeved about a news report based on television actress Bhuvaneswari’s ‘confession’ that several actresses were involved in prostitution, a galaxy of stars from Kollywood descended on the City Police Commissioner’s office on Monday and demanded action against the Tamil daily that carried the story.
The newspaper has now carried a regret note for the report and Police Commissioner, T Rajendran, told the actors’ delegation, led by South Indian Actors Association president Sarath Kumar, that Bhuvaneswari, who is in jail after her arrest for allegedly indulging in prostitution, had not made any such statement.
The delegation included Mylapore MLA S Ve Shekher, association vice-president Vijayakumar, secretary Radha Ravi, Murali, Chinni Jayanth, Mayilsami, Ravi, Manjula, Sripriya, Nalini, Seetha, Kuyili, Fathima Babu and Anju, among others.
Submitting individual complaints against the newspaper, the actors demanded the editor’s arrest. Rajendran said he would have to seek legal opinion first, sources said.
There was a brief exchange of words between the police chief and Vijayakumar, when the veteran actor threatened to barge into the daily’s office with fellow actors, beat up the staff and court arrest, the sources said. Rajendran reportedly warned the actor not to cross limits, reminding him that he was talking to the police commissioner. He said if any untoward incident happened at the daily’s office, Vijayakumar would be regarded as the prime suspect.
Sarath Kumar told the media that a demonstration would be held at the South Indian Film Chamber on Wednesday and that the issue would be raised with the Press Council of India. The actresses named in the report might file a defamation suit against the paper, he added.