Indian Journalists Union Condemns Arrest of Two Women Journalists in Telangana

KalimNews, New Delhi, March 13, 2025 : The Indian Journalists Union (IJU) has strongly condemned the arrest of two women journalists, P Revathi, Managing Director of the online news channel Pulse News, and reporter Bandi Sandhya. The Hyderabad Cyber Crime police detained them on March 12, citing their alleged circulation of a video containing defamatory content against the ruling Congress government and Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy. The journalists have been charged under various sections of the IT Act and Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), with the police claiming that the case involves political motivations.

According to the police, the video in question was posted on social media platform X and was allegedly recorded at the office of the Opposition Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) party in Banjara Hills. Authorities claim the video was funded by the BRS and was posted following a complaint by the Congress state secretary of social media. The video featured a provocative interview with an individual making controversial remarks, leading to an FIR under sections 111, 61(2), 353(2), and 352 of BNS, along with section 67 of the IT Act, which pertains to publishing or circulating false information, rumors, or content intended to provoke a breach of peace.

The police have also accused the journalists of involvement in prior cases of social media trolling. They claim the video was recorded in February but started circulating online from March 10, just before the Telangana Assembly's Budget session on March 12. A search of the journalists' office led to the seizure of laptops, hard disks, and CPUs as part of the investigation. Revathi had previously posted on X urging people not to share the video, fearing legal repercussions. Meanwhile, the BRS party has condemned the arrests, arguing that the video merely amplified the grievances of a common citizen against the government.

In a joint statement, IJU President Geetartha Pathak, a former member of the Press Council of India, and Secretary General Sabina Inderjit, who also serves as Vice President of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), criticized the swift action by the cyber police against the so-called trolling of the Chief Minister, labeling it a politically motivated move. They noted that women journalists across the country frequently face online harassment, yet law enforcement agencies have not acted against the perpetrators. The IJU emphasized that the video expressed a citizen’s concerns and that arresting journalists for performing their duty is unacceptable. The Union has demanded the immediate withdrawal of all charges and the release of Revathi and Sandhya, reiterating its call for press freedom and the protection of journalists from political persecution.