The Hyderabad Cyber Crime Police have arrested two women journalists from a news channel for allegedly circulating a video containing derogatory and abusive remarks against Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy.
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Journalists and Social Media User Booked
The arrested individuals are Pogadadanda Revathi, Managing Director of Pulse News, and Bandi Sandhya alias Thanvi Yadav, a reporter for the same channel. A user of the ‘X’ account ‘NippuKodi’ has also been booked in connection with the case. The arrests followed a complaint filed by the Congress social media cell state secretary.
Legal Charges Against the Accused
The accused have been booked under multiple sections of the law, including:
- Section 67 of the Information Technology Act (publication or transmission of obscene material in electronic form).
- Sections 111, 61(2), 353(2), and 352 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which include charges related to organized crime, criminal conspiracy, spreading false information, and inciting hatred.
Complaint Details
The complainant stated that the ‘X’ account ‘NippuKodi’ had shared an abusive video in which a Pulse TV representative was seen interviewing an individual who made provocative and defamatory remarks against the Chief Minister. The police believe the video was a deliberate attempt to defame the CM and spread false propaganda.
Past Allegations Against Revathi and Yadav
- Revathi was previously arrested for allegedly verbally abusing a Dalit individual during a live show.
- She also faced legal action last year for making false allegations against Telangana State Power Distribution Company Limited.
- Thanvi Yadav is accused of posting multiple abusive videos against the Telangana government and CM Revanth Reddy.
Seizure of Electronic Equipment
During the investigation, the Cyber Crime Police seized:
- Two laptops
- Two hard disks
- Seven CPUs
- A Pulse Media mic logo
- A wireless router
Police Advisory on Social Media Conduct
The Cyber Crime Police have urged citizens to exercise caution while posting or sharing content on social media platforms.
They emphasized that the circulation of defamatory, abusive, or provocative content—especially against public figures and government officials—is a punishable offence under Indian law.