Jagan accuses Andhra Police of posing as FBI in X takedown bid
Synopsis
Former Andhra Pradesh CM Jagan Mohan Reddy has gone on the offensive with a serious allegation: that the state police identified themselves as the FBI while filing a content takedown request with X. X reportedly confirmed the request came from an official AP Police email, not the FBI's — raising pointed questions about whether a state agency deliberately impersonated a foreign law-enforcement body to silence political critics.
Key Takeaways
YSRCP president YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on 16 September 2026 accused Andhra Pradesh Police of posing as the FBI while filing a content removal request with X .
X reportedly confirmed the takedown request originated from an official Andhra Pradesh Police email address, not the FBI.
Jagan alleged the move was 'state-sponsored deception' intended to suppress criticism of CM Chandrababu Naidu's government over unfulfilled welfare promises, a DSC Scam, and Amaravati-related allegations.
The YSRCP chief called the incident a disgrace to Andhra Pradesh and demanded to know who authorised the takedown request.
The Naidu government had not issued an official response at the time of reporting.
YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) president and former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Wednesday, 16 September, launched a sharp attack on Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, accusing the state police of fraudulently identifying themselves as the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) while seeking the removal of social media posts on X. Jagan alleged this constitutes 'state-sponsored deception' and a direct threat to democratic freedoms.
What Jagan Alleged
In a post on X, Jagan Mohan Reddy wrote: 'Under Chandrababu Naidu Garu, Red Book Governance goes global; now featuring the Andhra Pradesh Police posing as the FBI! Fake identity, real threat to democracy.' He further questioned whether the incident amounted to 'policing, or state-sponsored deception aimed at politically motivated harassment.'
The YSRCP chief claimed that X had confirmed the takedown request originated from an official Andhra Pradesh Police email address — not from the FBI — yet the officer reportedly named 'FBI' as the sender organisation. Jagan demanded to know who ordered the request and why the FBI's identity was allegedly misused.
The Political Context
Jagan listed the issues he alleged the takedown sought to suppress: criticism over unfulfilled Super Six and Super Seven promises, a purported DSC Scam, allegations of Amaravati looting, state debt levels, and broader governance failures. He argued that the police force's credibility has been severely damaged by 'dragging the name of a foreign investigating agency into a political takedown operation.'
This comes amid an ongoing and increasingly acrimonious political rivalry between the Telugu Desam Party (TDP)-led government under Chandrababu Naidu and the YSRCP following the latter's defeat in the 2024 Andhra Pradesh assembly elections. Both sides have repeatedly traded allegations of misgovernance and political harassment.
Jagan's Demand to Naidu
'The police uniform is meant to protect the law, not to enforce your political censorship,' Jagan wrote, urging the government to redirect its energies toward fulfilling welfare promises — supporting farmers during drought conditions, creating employment, and driving development rather than 'muzzling critics.'
He also invoked the transparency argument: 'Social media makes it impossible to hide behind curated narratives. If this government is confident in its record, it should answer criticism with performance and transparency and not with censorship and harassment.'
What Happens Next
The Naidu government had not issued an official response to the allegations as of the time of reporting. The controversy is likely to intensify pressure on the Andhra Pradesh Police to clarify the origin and authorisation of the takedown request. Opposition parties and digital rights advocates are expected to demand a formal inquiry into whether a state agency deliberately impersonated a foreign law-enforcement body to suppress online criticism.
Point of View
Even in an administrative filing, crosses a clear line. The Naidu government's silence is conspicuous. The broader pattern — governments across India using content takedown mechanisms to manage online narratives — is well-documented, but explicitly naming a foreign agency to lend false authority to such a request would mark a qualitative escalation. An independent inquiry, not a party-versus-party exchange, is what this incident requires.
NationPress
16 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Jagan Mohan Reddy accuse the Andhra Pradesh Police of doing?
Jagan Mohan Reddy accused the Andhra Pradesh Police of identifying themselves as the FBI while submitting a content takedown request to X. He said X confirmed the request came from an official AP Police email address, not from the FBI, yet the officer named 'FBI' as the sender organisation.
What is the 'Red Book Governance' reference Jagan made?
'Red Book Governance' is a political phrase used by Jagan and the YSRCP to criticise the Chandrababu Naidu administration, alleging it maintains a list of political targets or operates through coercive tactics. Jagan used the phrase to frame the alleged FBI impersonation as part of a broader pattern of authoritarian governance.
What posts was the Andhra Pradesh Police allegedly trying to remove from X?
According to Jagan's allegations, the targeted posts were critical of the Naidu government on issues including unfulfilled Super Six and Super Seven welfare promises, a purported DSC Scam, Amaravati-related allegations, state debt, and governance failures.
Has the Chandrababu Naidu government responded to the allegations?
The Naidu government had not issued an official response to the allegations at the time of reporting. It remains to be seen whether the Andhra Pradesh Police or the state government will clarify the origin and authorisation of the contested takedown request.
Why does this matter beyond Andhra Pradesh politics?
The allegation that a state police force impersonated a foreign federal law-enforcement agency to secure social media content removal raises broader questions about the misuse of official authority and digital censorship. If substantiated, it could prompt scrutiny from digital rights bodies, the Union government, and potentially X's own trust and safety teams.
