Hyderabad: A local court in Hyderabad on Monday, March 17, dropped charges of organised crime against two female journalists who were arrested for allegedly defaming Telangana chief minister A Revanth Reddy.
It is to be noted that journalists, Revathi Pogadadanda, managing director of YouTube news channel Pulse Digital News Network, and Thanvi Yadav, an employee were booked and arrested on March 11 for organised crime under section 111 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanahita (BNS) after a video of a man abusing CM Revanth went viral.
Section 111 of the BNS says a person could be punished with a five-year jail term or life imprisonment and even the death penalty if the crime results in death.
On March 15, addressing the Telangana Assembly, the chief minister said that individuals “posing as journalists” and posting abusive content against public representatives would be “stripped and paraded in public”.
According to a report by Hindustan Times, the court dropped the organised crime charges as it observed that the essential ingredients of Section 111 of BNS do not attract at this stage as there is no involvement of monetary transactions or other factors mentioned under it.
Representing the journalists, lawyer Jakkula Laxman argued that Section 111 was grossly disproportionate in the context of their alleged offence. Defending the charges, Additional Public Prosecutor argued that the two journalists should have been cautious.
Women journalists arrested in Hyderabad
Pogadadanda and Yadav were arrested by the cybercime unit of the Hyderabad police or allegedly engaging in spreading ‘defamatory content and conspiracy’ against Telangana chief minister A Revanth Reddy.
According to the Hyderabad police, the case was registered based on a complaint by a Congress social media cell state secretary, who came across an abusive video circulating on the X (Twitter) account. The video, featuring a Pulse TV interview, allegedly contained provocative and defamatory remarks against the Telangana CM.
2 women journalists arrested for ‘fake news, conspiracy’ against Telangana CM
The complainant accused the news channel and social media profile of deliberate misinformation and attempts to incite unrest.
Based on the complaint, the Hyderabad police registered a case under section 67 IT Act, Sec 111, (organised crime), 61(2) (criminal conspiracy), 353(2) (assault or criminal force to deter public servant), 352 (assault or criminal force otherwise than on graveprovocation) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
The police also seized electronic devices, including laptops, hard disks, and a media microphone, from the accused. Further investigation is ongoing.
