Hyderabad, March 25:A local court here on Thursday dismissed anticipatory bail plea of Shirish Bharadwaj, son-in-law of actor-turned-politician Chiranjeevi in connection with dowry harassment case.
In a related development, the Metropolitan Legal Services Authority (MLSA) has asked Shirish, his mother Suryamangala and wife Sreeja to appear for counselling on March 31.
The local court had granted anticipatory bail to Suryamangala on some conditions. The court, in its order, observed that prima facie Shirish is not entitled for anticipatory bail under the existing circumstances as investigations are still on.
While granting anticipatory bail to Suryamangala, the court laid down certain conditions and asked her to execute a bond of Rs.10,000 and furnish two sureties of equal sum, said Additional Public Prosecutor S. Lokeswar Reddy.
The court has also asked her not to leave city and report before the Station House Officer (SHO), Central Crime Station (CCS) on every alternate day until further orders. It also asked her not to interact or influence witnesses.
Chiranjeevi’s daughter Sreeja filed a complaint against her husband Shirish and mother-in-law Suryamangala on March 14 alleging the duo were harassing and ill-treating her for the past one-year demanding an additional dowry of Rs.50 lakh.
Based on her complaint, the CCS police registered a case against them under Section 498-A (subjecting woman to cruelty by husband, in-laws) and under relevant provisions of the Dowry Prohibition Act. Shirish and his mother last week filed a petition before the court seeking anticipatory bail.
Bail petition today
Meanwhile, the counsel for Shirish, C.V.L. Narasimha Rao said that in view of the MLSA’s latest direction on counselling, a bail petition will be filed once again in the local court for Shirish Bharadwaj on Friday.
-Agencies