Hyderabad Cyber Crime Police Arrest Two Journalists of Pulse News in Early Morning Raid

In a controversial early morning raid, Hyderabad Cyber Crime Police arrested two journalists from Pulse News on charges related to social media trolling. The arrests were made following a complaint filed by the State Secretary of the Congress Social Media Cell in Hyderabad, as reported by TV9 Telugu.

Journalists Arrested and Sent to Judicial Remand

The two journalists, Revathi and Tanvi Yadav, were taken into custody from their residences and booked under Sections 111, 61(2), 353(2), and 352 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. They were presented before the Nampally Court, which ordered their 14-day remand until March 26. The duo will be shifted to Chanchalguda Women’s Jail.

Reason Behind the Complaint

The complaint leading to the arrests was filed after Pulse News aired an interview in which the interviewee allegedly made derogatory and abusive remarks against Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy. The complainant accused Pulse TV of deliberately attempting to defame the Chief Minister and spread false propaganda.

According to the complaint:

"Such posts are highly provocative, and their content has the potential to incite divisions within society, likely leading to disturbances in law and order in both Hyderabad city and the state."

Seizure of Digital Equipment

During the arrests, police seized multiple electronic devices from the journalists, including:

• One Dell laptop
• One Asus laptop
• Two Seagate hard disks
• One Pulse Media microphone with logo
• TP-Link wireless router
• Seven CPUs

Alleged Political Nexus Between BRS and Pulse News

At a press conference, Additional CP Vishwa Prasad claimed that the investigation uncovered a nexus between Pulse News and the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) Party. According to him, the controversial video was shot at Telangana Bhavan, raising suspicions of political involvement.

"They are being presented in front of the magistrate and will be sent to judicial remand. We are also in the process of identifying the individual who spoke in the video and will take action against him as well," said Prasad.

Police Advisory on Social Media Conduct

Following the arrests, Hyderabad Police issued a public advisory, urging citizens to be cautious while posting content on social media. The advisory emphasized that the circulation of defamatory, abusive, or provocative material against public figures and government officials is a punishable offense under Indian law.

Political Reactions and Condemnation

The BRS Working President, KT Rama Rao (KTR), strongly condemned the arrests, calling them an attack on press freedom. He criticized the police action, particularly the early morning raid, and accused the government of adopting emergency-style rule in Telangana.

"The raid on the house at 5 am and the illegal arrest of journalist Revathi is a testament to the ongoing emergency-style rule in the state. The arrest of young journalist Tanvi Yadav is also atrocious. Is this the constitutional rule that Rahul Gandhi is talking about?" questioned KTR.

Growing Concerns Over Press Freedom

The arrests of Revathi and Tanvi Yadav have sparked widespread debate about press freedom and the role of social media in modern journalism. Many journalists and activists have criticized the government’s handling of the situation, calling it an attempt to silence dissent.

While the case unfolds, all eyes will be on how the judicial process addresses the allegations and whether this incident sets a precedent for future actions against digital media journalists in India.