March 12, 2025: The Hyderabad Police’s Cyber Crime division has arrested two journalists from Pulse News—Managing Director Pogadadanda Revathi and reporter Thanvi Yadav—for allegedly sharing defamatory content about Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy. A third person, who operates an X account named ‘NippuKodi,’ has also been detained in connection with the case.
The arrests came following a complaint from the Congress’ state social media unit chief, who alleged that a video posted on the ‘NippuKodi’ account contained "derogatory and abusive" remarks about the Chief Minister. The video featured a Pulse News journalist interviewing an individual who was critical of the government, which the police claimed was a "highly provocative" act meant to incite unrest. Based on this, the arrested individuals face multiple serious charges, including publishing obscene material, criminal conspiracy, spreading false information, and provoking a breach of peace.
The arrests have triggered a strong backlash from the opposition Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), which has accused the Congress of curbing press freedom. BRS leader KT Rama Rao denounced the police action, calling it "an extreme level of intolerance" and comparing it to an "Emergency-like situation" in Telangana. He further alleged that Revathi’s arrest involved a pre-dawn raid at 5 AM, which he described as "illegal" and reflective of the Congress’ authoritarian rule. He also criticized the arrest of Thanvi Yadav, calling it "atrocious" and evidence of the government’s attempts to silence critical voices in the media.
Rama Rao further attacked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, questioning whether this was the kind of "constitutional rule" that Gandhi claimed to uphold. He pointed out that Revathi had been arrested in a similar manner when the BRS was in power, raising concerns about the growing intolerance towards journalists across political parties.
Meanwhile, the BJP has also condemned the arrests, with party spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla accusing the Congress of targeting journalists for merely reporting the struggles of Telangana’s farmers. He called it a "dangerous attack on democracy" and demanded accountability from the state government.
The arrests have sparked widespread debate over press freedom in Telangana, with journalists and media watchdogs questioning whether political parties are using law enforcement to suppress critical reporting. As the controversy unfolds, opposition parties and press freedom advocates continue to demand an impartial investigation and the release of the arrested journalists.