Kommineni Arrest: Mangalagiri Court Slams Police Over Charges Under SC/ST Atrocities Act

A day after his illegal arrest, senior journalist Kommineni Srinivas Rao was presented before a court in Mangalagiri on Tuesday.

The court found fault with the police for booking a case against the Sakshi news anchor under the SC/ST Atrocities Act and BNS Section 356 (2) (defamation).

Emphasizing that the police have been warned against misusing these sections in the past as well, the court said memos will be issued against Guntur SP and Thullur DSP. Further, the court remanded Kommineni for 14 days. 

Senior journalist Kommineni was arrested on Monday (June 9) from his residence in Hyderabad after a guest, VVR Krishnam Raju, had made inappropriate remarks against women in Amaravati during the KSR Live Show.

During the debate itself, Kommineni had requested the guest, who is also a former journalist, against making such remarks. Kommineni publicly apologized and distanced Sakshi media organization from Krishnam Raju’s comments. Kommineni’s lawyers presented a video of the debate to the Mangalagiri court judge.

However, the police illegally arrested Kommineni based on a complaint booked in Thullur.

Kommineni’s arrest sparked widespread outrage from journalists and YSRCP leaders. They accused the TDP government of resorting to revenge politics and attacking press freedom.

YSRCP president and former Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy also condemned Kommineni’s arrest and slammed the Chandrababu Naidu government for adopting diversionary tactics to divert people’s attention from the mounting crises in the State.