TRS MLA's son made disparaging remarks about my wife, alleges deceased man in selfie video

A selfie video of a 43-year-old businessman, who allegedly died by suicide along with his family members in Telangana, has surfaced on Thursday in which the victim has purportedly accused the son of a local MLA of making disparaging remarks about his wife and pushing him to take the extreme step.In the purported video, which has gone viral, the man has alleged that Vanama Raghavendra Rao, son of Kothagudem MLA and ruling TRS leader Vanama Venkateswara Rao, asked him to visit Hyderabad to get his financial problems solved and made some objectionable comments about his wife in this context.

A selfie video of a 43-year-old businessman, who allegedly died by suicide along with his family members in Telangana, has surfaced on Thursday in which the victim has purportedly accused the son of a local MLA of making disparaging remarks about his wife and pushing him to take the extreme step.

In the purported video, which has gone viral, the man has alleged that Vanama Raghavendra Rao, son of Kothagudem MLA and ruling TRS leader Vanama Venkateswara Rao, asked him to visit Hyderabad to get his financial problems solved and made some objectionable comments about his wife in this context. The accused person is now absconding.

Expressing deep concern over the incident, the TRS MLA in an open letter said he and his family will cooperate with the police and judiciary in the Ramakrishna suicide case and other incidents allegedly involving his son.

“I respect the police and judiciary... whenever the police need my son for inquiry, it is my responsibility to ensure that he cooperates with the authorities,” the legislator stated in the letter.

Venkateswara Rao also assured that his son will keep away from Kothagudem constituency and the party activities until he comes out clean.

He further said he has been in public service for the past 45 years and never tried to influence the system.

The victim Ramakrishna had set his wife and twin daughters, aged 13, afire before killing himself at his house in Paloncha town of Bhadradri-Kothagudem district early on Monday. The couple and one daughter died on the spot while another child succumbed to burns at a state-run hospital in Kothagudem on Wednesday.

Police said they have submitted the selfie video in a local court which the deceased is believed to have shot before carrying out the murder-suicide.

Earlier, in a purported suicide note left by him, the victim had held the MLA's son responsible for taking the extreme step. The note also mentioned the names of the mother and elder sister of the deceased with whom he had a property dispute. The TRS legislator's son is said to have settled the dispute in favour of the late victim's elder sister.

However, Vanama Raghavendra Rao has denied the charges levelled against him in a video clip posted on social media, that was shared from an unknown location.

A case has been registered under IPC section 306 (abetment to suicide) against the trio-- Rao and the mother and sister of Ramakrishna.

In the selfie video, the man alleged that Vanama Raghavendra Rao made certain disparaging remarks against his wife in the context of solving his financial problems.

''I felt bad. After I am gone my wife and children will become vulnerable. That is the reason I am taking them also with me,'' he said in the video. According to a police official, special teams were formed to nab Vanama Raghavendra Rao, who is absconding after an FIR was lodged against him. ''He (the MLA's son) is still absconding and teams have been formed...we are in pursuit of him,'' Paloncha Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) B Rohith Raj told PTI.

In a related development, the brother-in-law of the deceased has accused the associates of the MLA's son of making threatening phone calls, asking him to withdraw the case and that they also offered him money to settle the issue. Police said a detailed investigation was underway.

Condemning the incident, Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) President and party MP A Revanth Reddy demanded that the ruling TRS immediately suspend the legislator from the party and initiate legal action against his son. ''MLA’s son asks to send wife of Ramakrishna to him.. He commits suicide with family Startling last selfie video of Ramakrishna reveals atrocities of Vanama Raghavendra S/O kothagudem MLA Venkateshwar Rao. I demand his arrest immediately @TelanganaCMO & suspend him from the party,'' he tweeted.

Several political parties have sought stringent action against the accused.