In a surprising event, Sandalwood actress Karunya Ram has approached the Central Crime Branch (CCB) and top police officials to file a detailed complaint against a group of moneylenders and online betting enablers. The actress has accused her family of being regularly harassed, blackmailed, and economically destroyed because her younger sister has become increasingly addicted to online betting.
A Family Torn Apart by Addiction
Karunya Ram, a resident of Rajarajeshwari Nagar, shares her complaint and describes in chilling detail the sad plight of her sister Samruddhi Ram. Samruddhi, a makeup artist at the time, lost herself in online betting in 2022, the actress says. A habit quickly turned into a disaster.
Karunya explained that her sister lost approximately ₹25 lakh betting online, and without the family’s acknowledgment sold gold jewelry worth ₹50 to ₹60 lakh that belonged to the household to raise funds for her addiction. By 2023, the family also learned Samruddhi had borrowed huge amounts from relatives and strangers.
Disowning the Sister and Legal Disassociation
Karunya said the family cut all ties with Samruddhi following the discovery of these illegal activities and the enormity of the debt in 2023. “We kicked her out of the house and she’s no longer part of our family. Since 2023, I haven’t seen or spoken to her,” said the actress. She even said she had filed a complaint against her own sister at RR Nagar Police Station to register her illegal betting habits.
Allegations of Extortion and Harassment
Karunya’s complaint is focused on people named Pratibha, Kapila, Rakshith, and Prajwal, all of whom were alleged to have lent a hand in her sister’s addiction, and now extort the family to recover.
- Character Assassination: The accused have also allegedly been putting obscene comments on Karunya’s social media accounts to defame her professional reputation.
- Midnight Threats: Prajwal and others reportedly contacted and sent threatening messages at midnight to the actress and her elderly parents.
- Home Invasions: On December 28, Rakshith reportedly dispatched three strangers to Karunya’s residence while she was away, then intimidating her parents.
- Theft of Cheques: A person named Sagar is charged with stealing a bank cheque owned by Karunya’s father through duress, and has threatened to file a cheque-bounce case.
Police Harassment and Professional Loss
The actress also spoke with grief as they have been treated badly by the RR Nagar Police. She said the police have been constantly calling her, accusing her and her parents of a debt they never signed for or guaranteed. “I am an actress well known for my hard work. These people are using my celebrity status to blackmail me into paying my sister’s illegal debts,” she said.
Karunya’s final complaint was that this mental torture has resulted in her losing several film opportunities; that has cost her much money and heartache. She has called on the CCB to clamp down on the lenders for illegal high-interest lending (usury) and cyber-harassment.
