VIJAYAWADA: Film director Ram Gopal Varma has addressed speculation surrounding his elusion from the Maddipadu police regarding a case filed against him.
In a post on his social media platform X on Thursday, Varma clarified that he was not evading police investigation but was occupied with his film work.
“Sorry to disappoint those who found entertainment in my so-called absconding and the police teams chasing me across various States like Maharashtra and Chennai. I have been here attending to my film work,” he stated.
Varma also expressed concern over the recent filing of cases against him related to posts he made over a year ago to promote his film.
He speculated that the TDP-led NDA government was using these cases as a means of harassment. “The case against me concerns meme posts I allegedly shared over a year ago, which supposedly hurt someone’s sentiments. What’s strange is that, after a full year, four individuals from different districts of Andhra Pradesh have now filed similar cases against me. The media is reporting that five more cases have been filed, making it a total of nine in just four or five days. Is this a deliberate attempt to harass me?” he questioned.
In his post, Varma defended his right to freedom of expression, citing Article 19(1)(a) of the Indian Constitution, which guarantees the right to freely express views and opinions.
“This includes not only speech but also written words, pictures, movies, and banners. Freedom of expression is the cornerstone of any democratic society, and any attempt to curtail this right is undemocratic,” he emphasised.