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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Sujit Nair raises concerns over speculation of DMK-AIADMK understanding to block TVK
Chennai: Journalist and political commentator Sujit Nair has expressed concern over speculation that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam could explore a post-poll understanding to prevent Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam from forming the government in Tamil Nadu.
In a social media post, Sujit Nair said the election verdict in Tamil Nadu reflected a clear public demand for political change and argued that the mandate should be respected irrespective of political preferences.
Referring to reports and political discussions surrounding a possible understanding between the DMK and AIADMK, he said he hoped such developments remained only speculative conversations and did not turn into reality.
Nair stated that if such an alliance were to take shape, it would raise serious questions about ideological politics in the country. He said TVK had emerged through a democratic electoral process and that the legitimacy to govern in a parliamentary democracy comes from the people’s verdict.
According to him, attempts to prevent an electoral winner from forming the government through unexpected political arrangements may be constitutionally valid, but many people could view them as politically opportunistic.
He further said that such a move could particularly affect the political image of the DMK, which has historically projected itself around ideology, social justice and opposition politics. Nair said that in ideological terms, the DMK appeared closer to TVK than to the AIADMK, and joining hands with its long-time political rival only to remain in power could weaken its broader political narrative.
He added that the same questions would apply to the AIADMK as well, as the party had spent decades positioning itself against the DMK and such an arrangement could create discomfort among its cadre and supporters.
Drawing a comparison with Maharashtra politics in 2019, Nair said he had expressed similar views when the Shiv Sena formed an alliance with the Indian National Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party after the Assembly elections.
He said post-poll alliances between long-standing political rivals often create a public perception that ideology and electoral mandates become secondary when political power equations come into play.
Nair also said such developments increase public cynicism towards politics and reinforce the belief among voters that ideology is often sidelined after elections.
He maintained that the Tamil Nadu verdict was emphatic and said respecting both the spirit and substance of the mandate was important for the credibility of democratic politics.
