Chennai, October 8 — The Chennai Anti-Prostitution Unit conducted a major raid on August 22 at a lodge on the 100 Feet Road in Koyambedu, uncovering a shocking case of child exploitation. A Class 9 student who had been forced into prostitution was rescued during the operation, while several individuals, including an actress from Andhra Pradesh, were taken into custody.
Police arrested actress Nagalakshmi, along with Anjali and Karthik Kumar, on charges of coercing the minor into prostitution. Preliminary investigations revealed disturbing details about the victim’s background. Following her father’s untimely death, the girl’s mother remarried and left her in the care of a family friend named Poongodi, a club dancer in the Tamil film industry. Exploiting the child’s vulnerable situation, Poongodi reportedly lured her into the sex trade.
Initially resistant, the minor was allegedly persuaded through material inducements such as expensive clothing, an iPhone, and cash. Poongodi’s associate Aishwarya, said to be the girl’s great-aunt, was also involved in facilitating the exploitation. The girl was eventually introduced to wealthy clients, from whom large sums of money were earned.
Police sources stated that the clients were introduced to Poongodi through a well-known comedy actress, Bharathi Kannan. Following this revelation, the Coimbatore Women’s Police interrogated Bharathi Kannan, after which Poongodi, Aishwarya, and Bharathi Kannan were all placed under arrest. Two others — Mahendran, an employee of a construction company, and Ramesh, a DMK executive — were also detained in connection with the case.
Authorities have registered cases under the POCSO Act (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) against Bharathi Kannan, Mahendran, and Ramesh. Police are now tracing other individuals linked to the network through mobile data and social media communication records.
The arrest of a film industry figure under POCSO has sent shockwaves through the Tamil entertainment community.
However, director and actress Bharathi Kannan has since released a video statement strongly denying any involvement. In her clarification, she emphasized that she was being mistaken for another individual of the same name.
“I am not the Bharathi Kannan who has been arrested. I am a filmmaker who has directed over ten movies, including Aruvaa Velu, Kannathal, Thirunelveli, Pannari Amman, and Karakattakkari. Some have mistakenly used my photo in connection with this case, causing deep distress to my family,” she said.
“I have no connection whatsoever with the incident. The person arrested is someone else. Those who circulated the false reports have since retracted them. I request everyone not to misunderstand or spread misinformation about me,” she clarified.
The Tamil film industry has called for responsible reporting and accurate identification as police continue to investigate the wider network behind the trafficking racket.
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