Bail Granted to Women Journalists Arrested for Content Against Telangana CM
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Synopsis
A court in Hyderabad granted bail to two women journalists arrested for allegedly sharing defamatory content against Telangana CM A. Revanth Reddy. The journalists were directed to report to police twice a week. Their arrest has drawn criticism, with claims of political pressure influencing their detention.
Key Takeaways
- Bail granted to women journalists.
- Charges include defamation and spreading false information.
- Accusations of political pressure behind the arrests.
- Court deemed some charges unjustified.
- Journalists required to report to police twice a week.
Hyderabad, March 17 (NationPress) A court in this city granted bail to two women journalists on Monday, who were detained the previous week for allegedly disseminating defamatory material regarding Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy.
The bail was provided by the Nampally Criminal Court to Pogadadanda Revathi, managing director of Pulse Digital News Network, and Thanvi Yadav, a reporter, with a personal bond set at Rs 25,000 each.
As part of their bail conditions, the court instructed them to report to the police twice weekly.
Revathi is accused of sharing a video on ‘X’, featuring an elderly farmer making derogatory remarks about the Chief Minister.
Following a complaint from the Congress social media cell's state secretary, the Hyderabad Cybercrime Police charged Pogadadanda Revathi and Bandi Sandhya alias Thanvi Yadav alongside the ‘X’ handle ‘NippuKodi’.
The charges include violations under section 67 (publication or transmission of obscene material in electronic form) of the Information Technology Act and sections 111 (organised crime), 61(2) (criminal conspiracy), 353(2) (spreading false information or rumors inciting hatred), and 352 (intentionally insulting someone to provoke a disturbance) of the Bharat Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Earlier that day, Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working president K. T. Rama Rao and other leaders visited the jailed journalists.
Speaking to the media post-release, Rao stated that the current Congress administration in Telangana evokes memories of emergency rule.
He questioned whether imprisoning women on false charges is what Indiramma Rajyam stands for, asserting that citizens are voicing their dissent against the government’s broken promises.
Rao criticized Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy for his threatening remarks towards journalists during the Assembly session on March 15.
The two journalists were detained on March 12, and that same day, the court placed them in judicial custody.
However, during their remand, additional chief judicial magistrate G. Anusha deemed the application of section 111 as unwarranted and dismissed it.
Nonetheless, the court upheld the remaining charges under the Information Technology Act and BNS provisions concerning the creation and dissemination of false information, noting that the FIR contained credible allegations.
Revathi's attorney, Jakkula Laxman, claimed that the arrest was made in haste due to political influence, arguing that invoking section 111 was excessively severe.
He argued in court that the other charges carry a maximum sentence of under seven years, rendering immediate arrest unnecessary.
