Why Did The Telangana Police Arrest Two Journalists?

The Telangana Police on Wednesday arrested two journalists, Pogadadanda Revathi, the managing director of Pulse News, and Thanvi Yadav, a reporter from the same channel, for allegedly posting and amplifying abusive content against Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy.

A third person, known on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) by the username “NippuKodi,” has also been detained for sharing the controversial video. According to police sources, all three were taken into custody following a complaint filed by the chief of the state Congress’s social media unit.

Complaint and Charges

The complaint accused the journalists of publishing obscene material, spreading false information to incite hatred, and provoking a breach of peace. Officials confirmed that the charges include criminal conspiracy and organized crime.

The video in question was allegedly filmed at the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) headquarters in Hyderabad. According to police statements, a Pulse News reporter interviewed an individual who made “derogatory” and “abusive” remarks about the Chief Minister, which were then widely circulated online.

In his complaint, the Congress leader stated that the post was “highly provocative” and had the potential to incite violence. He also claimed it was a “deliberate attempt” by Pulse News to defame and spread propaganda against the Chief Minister.

Judicial Custody and Prior Cases

Authorities have confirmed that Revathi and Yadav have been remanded in judicial custody for 14 days. The police further disclosed that the duo had two prior cases registered against them.

Additional Commissioner of Police (Crimes and SIT), P Viswaprasad, elaborated on the investigation, saying, “The alleged video was shot at BRS headquarters in Banjara Hills in February and released on March 10, just ahead of the budget session, as part of an orchestrated plan to insult, defame, and abuse the CM. The content of the video is vulgar, derogatory, insulting, and abusive, crossing all levels of decency.”

He further added, “The accused have been doing this repeatedly, using social media to gain fame and views. We have evidence suggesting they have received monetary incentives from the BRS. We will investigate every aspect.”

Police have also stated that the individual interviewed in the video, who allegedly hurled abuses at the Chief Minister, will be identified and booked accordingly. “The YouTube channel has been operational for the last two months, and as part of a plan, the reporter has been provoking people to hurl abuses at the CM,” an officer stated.

Political Reactions and Controversy

The arrests have sparked a political debate in Telangana. Senior BRS leader KT Rama Rao accused the Congress of being “intolerant of criticism” and fostering an “extreme level of intolerance.”

“It feels like a state of Emergency has returned in Telangana…” he posted on X, criticizing the government’s actions against the journalists.