The Karnataka high court on Friday (2 November) passed an interim order directing the Cubbon Park police to not arrest actor Arjun Sarja in connection with the case registered by actress Sruthi Hariharan. The decision was passed by justice PS Dinesh Kumar who was hearing a plea by Sarja’s lawyer to quash the case.
Sarja has been accused of inappropriate behaviour during a rehearsal by the actress. In a Facebook post dated 19 October, Hariharan had detailed her encounter with the actor’s when he allegedly harassed her during the shoots for the film Nibunan (2017).
In turn, Sarja’s nephew, Dhruva Sarja filed a defamation case worth Rs5 crore against Hariharan on the actor’s behalf.
Hearing Hariharan’s petition of harassment in court, justice Kumar observed that there was no need to arrest Sarja till the next hearing on 14 November. However, the inquiry and investigation on the allegations is to continue as per procedure directed by the court.
Sarja’s lawyers have argued that the rehearsal for the scene had nothing untoward, and was consensual since the film required Hariharan and Sarja to be playing husband and wife.
The Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce is also mediating between the two artistes in the case.