Two senior journalists held in midnight crackdown in city
The Hyderabad Central Crime Station police detained two senior journalists from a leading Telugu news channel late on Tuesday night in connection with a controversial report involving a woman IAS officer and a state minister. The police action follows days after the Telangana government ordered an inquiry into the broadcast. On Tuesday night, authorities arrested NTV input editor Donthu Ramesh along with reporters Sudheer and Paripoorna Chary. Donthu Ramesh was apprehended at Hyderabad airport while reportedly preparing to travel abroad with his family. Following the arrests, city police took Donthu Ramesh and Sudheer to the state-run King Kothi hospital for a medical examination on Wednesday, while Paripoorna Chary was later allowed to return home.
Hyderabad City Police Commissioner VC Sajjanar stated on Wednesday that the journalists were allegedly attempting to evade the investigation. He noted that although the police had summoned them to the station and the journalists had agreed to cooperate, they subsequently switched off their mobile phones and booked tickets to Bangkok. He questioned why they were fleeing if no wrongdoing had been committed. VC Sajjanar also condemned the news report, citing the defamation of the woman officer and the immense stress the baseless report caused her and her family.
The controversy originates from a news item aired by NTV on 8 January. By 10 January, police had registered an FIR against the channel and seven digital media platforms for allegedly broadcasting fabricated content. The FIR includes charges under Sections 75, 78, 79, 351(1), and 352(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. This legal action followed a formal complaint from the Telangana IAS Officers Association, led by senior officer Jayesh Ranjan. Digital platforms named alongside NTV include Telugu Scribe, MR Media, Prime9 Telangana, PVNEWS, Signal Times, Volga Times, Mirror TV, and TNews Telugu. An eight-member Special Investigation Team led by VC Sajjanar has since been formed to handle the case.
While NTV management issued a formal apology on Tuesday evening following legal consultations, the arrests were carried out later that night. Telangana DGP B Shivadhar Reddy stated that any defamation on social media or character assassination targeting individuals would be met with decisive action. He emphasised that while constructive criticism is welcome within legal boundaries, the circulation of fake news and the invasion of personal lives through lies will result in strict consequences.
Meanwhile, the Telangana State Video Journalists Association has vehemently condemned the nighttime detentions. The association asserted that the police should have issued formal notices and sought explanations rather than treating media personnel like criminals. While the association reaffirmed its stance against false reporting, it expressed strong opposition to what it termed unlawful arrests and the harassment of journalists, demanding their immediate release.
