Gorantla Madhav, Member of Parliament representing the Hindupur constituency of Andhra Pradesh, said on August 4, Wednesday, that he has filed a complaint with the Superintendent of Police and the Cyber Crime department, claiming that the leaders of Telugu Desam Party (TDP) had morphed his face into a nude video to taint his image. The private video, which the YSRCP MP claims is “morphed”, shows him having a video call with an unidentified woman. The video made its way to social media and stirred up a storm with the Opposition TDP seeking his resignation. TDP leaders also alleged that the controversial MP had abused his power and sexually harassed the woman in the video, who seems to have screen-recorded the call.
Addressing the media, Madhav claimed that news channel AndhraJyothy, which is seen as pro-TDP, was the first media outlet to publish the “fake” video. He further claimed that the channel was behind the conspiracy and threatened to file a defamation case. The MP also said that he will approach the Press Council, High Court and the Supreme Court too on the issue.
“The TDP is behind this conspiracy… to damage my reputation and to put me in trouble. If they have any courage, they should face me directly. I will definitely take legal action against them. I have already made a complaint regarding this to the SP and the cyber crime police as well. The police should investigate this conspiracy and punish those behind it,” he said, further challenging AndhraJyothy to prove that the video is genuine. “If the video is proven authentic, I will behead myself,” he said.
To substantiate his claim that the video was fake, the MP presented to media persons a couple of his workout videos, alleging that these videos were used to create the ‘fake’ video. However, when a media person pointed out that both the videos were completely different, the MP shot back: "Are you a forensic expert?"
Countering Madhav’s claims, the TDP said that he was shamelessly lying. Who works out naked, asked TDP leader Bonda Umamaheswara Rao. The TDP leader alleged that Madhav has been sexually harassing the woman, further claiming that the police-turned-politician is a known sexual offender. “He has rape and attempt to murder cases against him, which is mentioned in his election affidavit,” he said.
Rao further stated that Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy is responsible for the sickening behaviour of his party’s MPs, his Cabinet colleagues, former ministers, MLAs and other YSRCP leaders. “In the past too, we all have witnessed the video in which Minister Ambati Rambabu made some objectionable remarks against a woman. Mr Jagan Mohan Reddy shamelessly accommodated him in his Cabinet,” the TDP leader said, adding that there is no protection for women in the state.