2 women journos held for video abusing Telangana CM A Revanth Reddy

HYDERABAD: The Hyderabad cybercrime cops on Wednesday arrested two women journalists for allegedly circulating derogatory comments against chief minister A Revanth Reddy and the state govt. Pogadadanda Revathi, managing director of YouTube channel Pulse News and journalist Bandi Sandhya were later sent to 14 days judicial remand.
Before the arrests the journalists said they were only doing their job by airing people's voices. Senior police officials, however, said the controversial video that led to the arrest - an elderly farmer using foul language for Revanth and the govt - was shot in Telangana Bhavan, the BRS headquarters in Hyderabad. They claimed th clip was politically motivated.
Using the choicest abuses in Telugu, the farmer is seen saying that he would beat up Congress leaders for failing to keep their election promises.
The case was in fact registered on March 10 on a complaint by the Telangana Congress social media cell with the arrests taking place on Wednesday. The sections include organised crime - continuing unlawful activity (111), criminal conspiracy (61(2)), circulating any statement or report containing false information, rumour (353(2)), and intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace (352) of the BNS and the IT Act.
Reacting to the arrests, the Editor's Guild of India said, "Revathi was reportedly taken from her home, along with her husband at the crack of dawn. It is believed that this action followed the publication of a video on her YouTube channel, in which a farmer criticised the state's chief minister. Some reports along suggest that the video contained allegedly derogatory language and failed to meet ethical journalistic standards."
Before being picked up from her Nanakramguda home, Revathi released a video saying the CM was trying to silence her and that her family was being threatened.
Police officials, however, said the accused conspired with the BRS party in producing the derogatory content. They are also verifying financial transactions of the accused and their firm. Addl CP P Vishwa Prasad said they found that the alleged videos were shot on February 10 at the BRS party's office.
"They were targeting elderly and innocent people, inducing them with money to speak against the CM and the govt in a derogatory manner and circulating them over their channel and personal social media platforms," Vishwa Prasad said, adding that they were in the process of identifying the person seen making the comments.
Police said that the fact that the video was made a month ago and shared and circulated on various platforms clearly showed their intent to spread propaganda against the CM and the govt.
BRS working president KT Rama took to X. "Kya Yahi Hain Aap Ki ‘Mohabbat Ki Dukaan'? Rahul Gandhi Ji? Arresting two women journalists in the wee hours of the morning!! What is their crime? Giving voice to the public opinion on incompetent & corrupt Congress govt. Last I checked, the Constitution of India that you hold regularly upholds Freedom of Speech Mr. Gandhi. (Sic)," wrote KTR.
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Police officials said two cases were earlier booked against Revathi. In the first case, she was accused of verbally abusing a dalit person on a live show, for which she was arrested and released on bail. She had also been booked last year for allegedly making false allegations against Telangana State Power Distribution Company Limited.