Media unions, politicians slam FIR against T News reporter for covering urea crisis in Khammam

A T News Channel reporter was booked under multiple stringent sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for allegedly compelling a farmer to speak against the State government during coverage of a urea shortage in Khammam. Legal experts criticised the FIR as vindictive and legally untenable.

Khammam: The district police have registered a case against a T News Channel reporter under section 151 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which prescribes punishment for assault or wrongful restraint of the President of India or the Governor of a State. Several political parties and media unions have condemned the police action.

The alleged offence was covering the plight of farmers waiting in queue for urea at Konijerla PACS in Wyra mandal in the district on Thursday. The case was booked on the complaint of a farmer, Gandham Nagaraju, who alleged that the reporter and two others compelled him to speak against the State government regarding the urea crisis.

The local SI, Guguloth Suraju registered an FIR against the reporter, Vennaboina Sambasiva Rao and others, under Section 151 (Assaulting or wrongfully restraining the President of India or the Governor of a State), Section 196 (Promoting enmity or disharmony between different groups based on religion, race, language, caste, or other grounds), Section 353 (2) (publishing, or circulating of false information, rumours or alarming news) read with Section 3(5) (deals with joint liability for a common intention) and Section 62 (punishment for attempting to commit offenses that are punishable with imprisonment for life or another term of imprisonment) of BNS.

When contacted, several legal experts told Telangana Today that booking the journalist under Section 151 and Section 62 in the given context was legally untenable. The FIR clearly indicates the vindictive nature of the case against the journalist and an attempt by authorities to suppress the voice of the media.

Meanwhile, former Khammam MP Nama Nageswara Rao, BRS district president Tata Madhusudhan, former MLA S Venkata Veeraiah, Telangana Rythu Sangham district secretary Bothu Rambabu, leaders of TUWJ (TJF) and TUWJ (IJU) demanded that the police withdraw the case booked against the journalist.

Nageswara Rao said that harassing a journalist for highlighting the problems faced by farmers regarding urea was undemocratic.

Rambabu noted that Agriculture Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao had himself admitted that there was a shortage of urea in the State as the Centre failed to supply adequate urea to Telangana.

TUWJ (TJF) leaders submitted a memorandum to DCP (Law and Order) Prasad Rao on Friday asking him to withdraw the case against Sambasiva Rao and others.