A complaint has been filed with the National Human Rights Commission against the Tirupati Urban District Superintendent of Police Mr. Avula Ramesh Reddy IPS by the Legal Rights Protection Forum, for his ‘intentional inaction’ and favouring the accused, Mallem Devasahayam, a Christian pastor who has been accused of rape by a fellow employee.
Mallem Devasahayam is the President of “Bible Research Ministries”, a Christian missionary organization. He is also the owner of Rainbow Cleaning Products, a private company located in Renigunta, Andhra Pradesh. The survivor, a 20 year old girl was working as a sales girl in this company.
According to reports, on October 3, Mallem Devasahayam had picked up girl from the Tirupati-Renigunta road at around 7 PM and reached Thukivakam village where the pastor brutally assaulted and raped her.
The incident had come to light after the human rights Chittoor District wing met the 20-year-old victim while undergoing treatment at the Tirupati maternity hospital.
In the complaint copy accessed by The Commune, the LRPF stated that as per the video statement given by the survivor’s mother, the police had refused to accept the complaint filed by the survivor. Besides this, the Sub-Inspector of Gajula Mandyam Police Station had allegedly asked the rape survivor to “leave the city” and that “these incidents are very common nowadays in Tirupati”.
After two failed attempts at filing a complaint at the Tirupati Disha Police Station on October 8 and the Tirupati East Police Station on October 9, the survivor had registered an online complaint through the ‘Spandana’ e-portal.
While the incident happened on October 3, the complaint was registered after 9 days on October 12.
However, the SP justified saying that the woman had reported the incident to the police only on the morning of October 12 during the Spandana programme (a weekly grievance redressal programme), and that a complaint was registered immediately.
On the other hand, the SP on October 16 had tweeted that the rape accused was neither a pastor nor a missionary as alleged.
However, netizens were quick to point out that the accused was in fact a Christian pastor and missionary. The LRPF also point out the same in the complaint saying that the accused runs the “Bible Research Ministries” based out of Tirupati town.
https://twitter.com/AndKherde/status/1317143869033762818
Even after the registration of FIR, the police did not arrest the rape accused pastor immediately and intentionally delayed the arrest, LRPF alleged in its complaint.
LRPF also noted in the complaint that the Mr. Avula Ramesh Reddy was close to the current political establishment in the state and was nurturing political ambitions of contesting MLA or MP elections in the future under the ruling YSRCP banner.
“Hence, he is cultivating the powerful Christian Missionary lobby in Tirupati for his political aspirations.”, LRPF said in its complaint alleging that the SP is also close to the rape accused pastor who is a wealthy and powerful man.
The LRPF noted in the complaint to the NHRC that such deliberate inaction by the police due to closeness of the accused to the Tirupati SP has led to the entire evidence of rape disappear thereby indirectly helping the accused rapist pastor.
“In order to cover up his misdeeds, and to gain over and pacify the victim the SP, Tirupati told in a press conference that he gave victim ₹25,000/- from his salary.”, the complaint stated adding that this in itself was proof of criminal negligence by the SP and him not taking prompt action on rape complaint and his support to the accused rapist pastor.
“In these circumstances, it is not possible for the police to conduct impartial enquiry and ensure conviction of the powerful accused. The poor victim girl is also under tremendous pressure from police and other Pastors to withdraw her complaint.”, the complaint noted.
The complaint mentioned that despite all the judgements given by the Supreme Court of India and several guidelines of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, the Tirupati Urban Police headed by Mr. Avula Ramesh Reddy, Superintendent of Police has willfully remained as mute spectators in order to favor the accused person.
The LRPF has asked the NHRC to order a thorough enquiry and take suitable legal and disciplinary action against the SP and other police officials for their failure to record the FIR in time in relation to the case.
