VIJAYAWADA: Days after disparaging remarks made by political commentator VV Krishnamraju on a vernacular TV channel, owned by former Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s wife YS Bharathi, Thullur police arrested senior journalist Kommineni Srinivas Rao (KSR) from his residence in the Journalists’ Colony in Hyderabad on Monday.
Following a complaint filed by Kambampati Sireesha, a resident of Rayapudi village, Thullur police registered a case 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 against political commentator VV Krishnamraju, KSR and the television channel’s management.
As part of the case proceedings, Thullur police arrested KSR from his residence and are likely to produce him in the Mangalagiri court on Tuesday morning.
52 complaints lodged in State against 2 journalists
The controversy erupted after Krishnamraju, during a debate hosted by KSR on June 6, allegedly made derogatory remarks about women from the Amaravati region and also referred to the capital Amaravati region as a ‘capital of prostitutes’.
The comments sparked a political and public outrage against the TV channel management and YSRC party leaders for allegedly spewing venom on capital Amaravati. According to sources, 52 complaints were lodged at various police stations across the State seeking action against Krishnamraju, KSR and the TV channel’s management for insulting women and calling Amaravati, once Capital of Gods, as ‘capital of sex workers.’