Online harassment of actresses has become a growing concern in the entertainment industry, with many female celebrities facing abusive comments, morphed images, and AI-generated explicit videos on social media. In a recent development, police have arrested two individuals for allegedly harassing Telugu actress and TV host Anasuya Bharadwaj online.
The arrests were made by the Cyberabad Cyber Crime Police after the actress filed a complaint regarding obscene and defamatory content circulating about her on social media platforms.
According to police officials, the accused have been identified as Janardhan (29), a resident of Hyderabad originally from Kadapa district in Andhra Pradesh, and Arun Kumar, an auto driver from Secunderabad.
Investigators revealed that Janardhan was operating an Instagram account named @mmtt_official, through which he allegedly shared AI-generated obscene videos targeting Anasuya Bharadwaj and other actresses. Meanwhile, Arun Kumar was arrested for posting highly abusive comments against the actress on YouTube reels.
The actress had filed the complaint on December 23 last year, stating that several social media pages were circulating defamatory, obscene, and offensive content targeting her. She alleged that the posts were damaging her reputation and requested strict action against those responsible.
Following the complaint, the Cyberabad Cyber Crime Police launched an investigation and tracked down the suspects. Both accused have now been arrested, and their mobile phones have been seized for forensic examination.
Police have registered cases against the accused under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Information Technology Act 2000.
Authorities also revealed that FIRs have been filed against 73 individuals and social media handles in connection with the case. Some of the accused reportedly include social media influencers and media representatives.
The online trolling against Anasuya Bharadwaj reportedly intensified after she publicly spoke about personal freedom during a debate regarding women’s clothing choices. Since then, she had been repeatedly targeted with abusive posts and online harassment.
Police have reiterated that strict legal action will be taken against individuals who misuse technology, including AI tools, to create and circulate obscene or defamatory content online.
