VIJAYAWADA: Kakinada district police arrested stand-up comedian Anudeep Katikala in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday. He was subsequently brought to Kakinada and produced before a local court on Wednesday.
The arrest follows a controversy surrounding a recently circulated video of Anudeep’s stand-up performance, in which he commented on Tollywood actors and fandom culture.
The video drew strong reactions from supporters of Deputy Chief Minister and Jana Sena Party chief Konidela Pawan Kalyan, with the comedian reportedly facing online abuse and threats of physical violence.
Based on a complaint filed by Jana Sena Party East Godavari Joint Secretary Bade Venkata Krishna, Kakinada One Town police registered a case against Anudeep.
Kakinada police said they tracked his mobile phone to a park in Prayagraj around 7 pm on April 14, where he was located with his family members. The comedian Anudeep has been booked under Sections 356(2) (defamation), 353(2) (circulation of false information to promote enmity), and 79 (insulting the modesty of a woman) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, along with Section 67 of the Information Technology Act for publishing obscene material in electronic form.
In his complaint, Venkata Krishna alleged that Anudeep’s video targeted Pawan Kalyan and his family members, damaging their reputation through sarcastic and allegedly vulgar remarks.