Smriti Irani frisked by male cops

The BJP has lodged a complaint with the Election Commission after its star campaigner and television actress Smriti Irani was reportedly frisked by male cops in election-bound Belgaum in Karnataka.

After attending a road show organized by the BJP in Belgaum, Smriti Irani, who plays the lead role of Tulsi in popular soap opera “Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi”, was on her way to Goa by road when her car was flagged down by the police midway.

“She was stopped midway and was subjected to a check in the absence of any women personnel last night”, BJP said in a statement issued on Tuesday.

The television actress, who campaigned for the BJP candidates contesting the ensuing elections in Karnataka, was later asked to come to the police station, where she was made to wait for a long time.

BJP’s Belgaum unit President Jeetendra Kadam told reporters that police constables from Tilakwadi police station in Belgaum had insulted the television actress. “They were under the influence of alcohol”, Kadam said.

However, the Belgaum police have denied the charges of indecent behaviour by the constables on duty. During the search of her car, the police found election handbills and she was asked to come to the police station and give an explanation, a police official said.

After stopping her car, the police officials asked her to open the boot of her car and found election handbills.

Meanwhile, Smriti Irani has termed the behaviour of the Belgaum police as “inhuman”. After reaching Mumbai, Smriti Irani has accused the policemen of touching her body on the pretext of searching her.

After the cops had stopped her car when she was heading towards Goa, Smriti claimed that she had disclosed her identity when the policemen questioned her. Though the actress asked the cops to call to woman police official to search her bag, she claimed her pleas had fallen on deaf ears. “It was terrified as I was surrounded by badly behaved policemen in an unknown place. It is the most horrible moment of my life”, she said.