HYDERABAD: The Nampally City Court on Friday ordered the release on bail of the five Congress “social media warriors” who had been arrested for allegedly circulating a doctored video featuring Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
According to the Cyber Crime Police, the five accused — Pendyala Vamshi Krishna, Manne Sathish, Pettam Naveen, Asma Tasleem and Koya Geetha — were allegedly involved in disseminating the doctored video on social media platforms.
The police acted on a complaint filed by BJP state general secretary G Premender Reddy who claimed that the doctored video clip was uploaded on X (formerly Twitter) from the official account of the TPCC. Premender Reddy said that the deliberate dissemination of false information was aimed at misleading voters and creating fear among specific communities in violation of the IT Act and the model code of conduct.
The police investigation revealed that the accused, employed in the TPCC social media unit, shared the doctored video.
They said that Vamshi Krishna initially received the video via WhatsApp and subsequently uploaded it on the official “@INCTelangana” X handle. In the doctored video clip, Amit Shah is seen saying, “If the BJP forms the government, then SC/ST and OBC reservations will be cancelled”.
However, the Union minister had said: “If the BJP forms the government, then we will cancel Muslim reservations. In Telangana, SC/ST and OBC rights will be given but Muslim reservation will be cancelled”.
The video was retweeted by Sathish, Naveen, Tasleem and Geetha through their respective X accounts.
Upon their arrest, the Cyber Crime Police seized electronic devices, including mobile phones, laptops and tablets.
On Friday, the accused were produced before the XII Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) Court at Nampally. Bail was given on `10,000 bail bond for each accused.