Journalists protest arrest of mediapersons

Hyderabad, Jan 9 : A delegation of journalists today called on Chief Minister K Rosaiah and registered their protest against the arrest of two editors of a private Telugu satellite channel in the wake of Thursday night's telecast alleging involvement of India's top corporate house in the conspiracy behind the death of former Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, which led to large-scale violence and destruction of properties.
Talking to newspersons after seeking the Chief Minister's intervention on the issue, Indian Journalists Union (IJU) Secretary General Srinivas Reddy condemned last night's arrest of the two journalists when they were very much available for the whole day for questioning.

He objected to the confinement of private Television Channel Executive Editor Brahmananda Reddy and Input Editor Venkata Krishna the whole night.

On a call given by the IJU-affiliated Andhra Pradesh Union of Working Journalists, protest marches, motorcycle rallies and dharnas were organised in different parts of the State in protest against police ''repression''.

Police had registered a case under IPC sections 153 A (causing disharmony) and 503 (2)(causing enmity among communities and class of the people) against the television channel for its ''defamatory news'' on the basis of a report in a Russian Portal on September 3, hinting at possible conspiracy involving Reliance group of companies behind the September 2 helicopter crash that killed YSR.

Cases were also registered against two more Telugu channels under same sections of IPC at the Punjagutta police station.