MD of online news channel, reporter held for social media trolling against T'gana govt, CM
Hyderabad, Mar 12 (PTI): The Managing Director of an online news channel and its reporter were on Wednesday arrested here for allegedly posting objectionable content against the ruling Congress government in Telangana and Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, police said.
Hyderabad Cyber Crime Police apprehended P Revathi and B Sandhya in connection with a case registered against them under relevant sections of IT Act and BNS for allegedly being involved in social media trolling against the Telangana government and the CM, they said.
BRS working president K T Rama Rao attacked the Congress government over the arrests.
Rao in a post on 'X' said: "Kya Yahi Hain Aap Ki “Mohabbat Ki Dukaan” ? @RahulGandhi 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."
According to a release from Hyderabad Police, the complainant, serving as the State Secretary of the Congress Social Media Cell in Hyderabad, came across an "abusive" video while browsing internet on March 10.
The video, circulated on a micro-blogging site, featured a representative of the online news channel interviewing an unidentified person in a "provocative" manner, it said.
During the interview, the unidentified person made "derogatory and abusive" remarks against the Telangana chief minister, clearly indicating a deliberate attempt by the channel to defame and spread false propaganda, police said.
Furthermore, the user of the micro-blogging site, was actively circulating and amplifying the video, making it viral, the complainant said.
Such posts are highly provocative, and their content has the potential to incite divisions within society, which are likely to lead to disturbances in law and order in both Hyderabad city and the state, the complainant said and sought legal action against the offenders.
A case was registered and during the course of the investigation, police arrested Revathi, Managing Director of the online news channel and Sandhya, reporter in the news channel.
Revathi, also a journalist, in a post on 'X' on Tuesday said: "DON’T SHARE THIS VIDEO PLEASE!!! CASES WILL BE FILED Here is a video of my team @pulsenewsbreak speaking to an old man. He expresses his frustration about various issues, in his own language. NOW! The Telangana Congress is busy filing cases and Telangana police are very religiously filing FIRs on people who are sharing this video! REALLY?!"
Police further 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. In the second case she "intentionally" made false allegations against Telangana State Power Distribution Company Limited and posted her statements in her social media handles, police said.
Hyderabad Cyber Crime Police urged citizens to exercise caution while posting and dealing with content on the social media platforms. The circulation of defamatory, abusive, or provocative material against individuals particularly targeting public figures and government officials, is a punishable offence under the law, police added.
Kya Yahi Hain Aap Ki “Mohabbat Ki Dukaan” ? @RahulGandhi Ji?
— KTR (@KTRBRS) March 12, 2025
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… https://t.co/DW1EP0JYCU
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CM Siddaramaiah alleges ‘criminal conspiracy’ in Sringeri recount, vows legal action
Bengaluru (PTI): Alleging a “criminal conspiracy” by BJP candidate D N Jeevaraj in the Sringeri Assembly poll recounting, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said the outcome was manipulated after valid postal ballot votes in favour of Congress leader T D Raje Gowda were tampered with during the recounting process.
Following a Karnataka High Court order on an election petition filed by Jeevaraj, challenging Raje Gowda’s election, the reverification and recounting were conducted on Saturday.
After the reverification and recount of postal ballots for the Sringeri Assembly constituency, votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda were reduced by 255, the returning officer said.
A report on the matter has been submitted to the Election Commission of India for further action, the officer added.
Congress leader Raje Gowda had won the 2023 Assembly polls from Sringeri by 201 votes, defeating his nearest rival Jeevaraj.
Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru, Siddaramaiah said the High Court had directed the recounting of postal ballots and that irregularities were noticed during the exercise conducted on May 2.
“This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” Siddaramaiah said, alleging that valid votes cast in favour of Raje Gowda were altered after being accepted by counting agents of all parties, including Congress, BJP, and JD(S).
He claimed that during the recounting of postal ballots, 255 votes were initially accepted as valid by all agents but were later tampered with by subordinate officials.
“There is a second mark on the votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda. They had accepted these as valid votes. Subsequently, another mark was made by officials. This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” he said.
When asked who was behind the alleged conspiracy, the CM replied, “It was hatched by Jeevaraj and others. It is planned.”
Siddaramaiah further alleged that the returning officer acted improperly by declaring the result despite the presence of an Election Commission observer during the recounting.
“Immediately after the counting, the returning officer announced the result. He should not have done so; this is against the law,” he said.
He pointed out that Raje Gowda had originally won by 201 votes, but after the recounting, the BJP candidate was declared the winner by 52 votes.
“The BJP has committed a criminal act of conspiracy. This is not vote chori but vote dacoity,” he alleged.
The CM said a police complaint had already been filed by Raje Gowda’s election agent, Sudhir Kumar, and emphasised the need for electoral integrity.
“We want transparency and free and fair elections. That is what our Constitution mandates,” he added.
Stating that the government would pursue legal remedies, Siddaramaiah said, “We are preparing an appeal challenging the returning officer’s announcement in a court of law.”
Responding to a separate query on elections in other states, the CM said there appeared to be an anti-incumbency factor in West Bengal, while results in Tamil Nadu were “surprising,” adding that Vijay’s party was emerging as the largest there.
Following the victory of party candidates in Bagalkote and Davanagere South, Siddaramaiah expressed confidence about future electoral prospects in Karnataka.
“Even in 2028, we will win the Assembly elections. We will come back,” the CM said.
Siddaramaiah added that he would order a forensic examination into the alleged tampering of postal ballots.
