Another Andhra journalist arrested for controversial remark during TV show

Amaravati, June 11 Andhra Pradesh Police have arrested journalist and political analyst VV Krishnam Raju for allegedly making derogatory remarks about women from the Amaravati region during a debate on Telugu news channel Sakshi, owned by former chief minister and YSR Congress Party president Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy.

Krishnam Raju, who was allegedly evading arrest, was taken into custody by police on Wednesday night near the Gosthani river in Bheemili in Visakhapatnam district. Two others who were present with him were also arrested. They were being brought to Vijayawada.

Krishnam Raju had allegedly referred to Amaravati as a ‘capital of prostitutes’ during a debate aired live on June 6.

Police have already arrested senior journalist and ‘Sakshi TV’ anchor Kommineni Srinivas, who had moderated the debate.

A case was registered against the two journalists and the management of ‘Sakshi TV’ on June 9.

The case was registered at the Thullur Police Station in Guntur district under several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Information Technology Act, and Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The FIR includes offences under sections 79, 196(1), 353(2), 299, 356(2), 61(1)BNS, 67 ITA-2008, 3(1)(U), SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

A police team had arrested Srinivasa Rao from his residence in Hyderabad on Monday and brought him to Guntur.

A court on Tuesday sent him to judicial custody for 14 days. He was subsequently shifted to the Guntur district jail.

A huge controversy erupted over certain comments allegedly made by the analyst during the show.

On a complaint by State Madiga Corporation director Khambampati Sirisha, the police booked Srinivasa Rao, Krishnam Raju and the management of ‘Sakshi TV’ for the alleged derogatory remarks against Amaravati farmers and women.

Women farmers and representatives of various Amaravati Joint Action Committees (JACs) also lodged police complaints.

Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan condemned disgraceful remarks against women and warned that those involved will not be spared.

Andhra Pradesh Women’s Commission Chairperson Rayapati Sailaja demanded an unconditional apology to the entire State by the TV management. She alleged that the Commission has taken the issue very seriously, as Sakshi TV and its management targeted women and insulted them.

YSR Congress Party, however, condemned what it called the baseless allegations and malicious campaign orchestrated by the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), its social media operatives, and affiliated ‘yellow media’ against YSRCP and its leadership.

YSRCP leader Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy stated that the anchor, while moderating a debate on a TV channel, had cautioned the analyst about passing the remarks, which were based on a media report. The presenter did not extend the discussion on the point, nor was it highlighted further.

Sajjala, a former advisor to the state government, accused Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu of a sinister design to blow it up into a major issue.

He alleged that despite Srinivasa Rao’s clarification and analyst Krishnam Raju’s explanation, the issue was widely circulated.

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