Published Jul 02, 2026 | 8:51 PM ⚊ Updated Jul 02, 2026 | 8:51 PM
Bachalakuri Joseph, aka Raavan. (Facebook.com/raavanbezawada)
Synopsis: Political commentator Raavan was granted bail by a magistrate in Pithapuram but was immediately arrested in a separate case by Sarpavaram police on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Deputy CM Pawan Kalyan announced the creation of a special social media cell to tackle online abuse.
A few hours after securing bail from a Pithapuram court, YouTuber and political commentator Bachalakuri Joseph, aka Raavan of the Prashna channel, was arrested again in Andhra Pradesh by the Sarpavaram police on Wednesday night, 1 July.
The Pithampuram police in Andhra Pradesh had arrested him from Hyderabad on the night of 30 June for allegedly making derogatory comments against Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan and ISKCON’s Radha Manohar Das during the ‘Dalit Christian War Cry’ (Dalitha Kraisthava Samara Sankharavam) meeting in Eluru on 28 June.
The earlier arrest was based on a complaint a Jana Sena Party leader, Bojja Kumar Babu, had filed on 29 June.
Related: AP police arrest political commentators KV Reddy, ‘Prashna’ Raavan
On 1 July, Raavan was granted bail by a magistrate court, but was immediately arrested by the Sarpavaram police in connection with another FIR registered against him in 2025 at Sarpavaram police station in Kakinada.
He was held at the Sarpavaram PS on Wednesday night and produced before the Kakinada court on Thursday, 2 July. People close to Raavan claimed that he had been on a hunger strike ever since his re-arrest.
A group of alleged JSP workers and Kalyan’s supporters attacked the police vehicle while Raavan was being taken to court. Team Prashna released a video condemning the attack.
Advocate Jada Shravan Kumar, representing Raavan, strongly criticised the police action. Speaking to the media in Pithapuram, he argued that taking Raavan into custody immediately after his release was unconstitutional and a violation of his fundamental rights.
Kumar accused the ruling alliance of selective action, asking why no cases were registered against its representatives for making inflammatory comments. He insisted that the state government and the Deputy Chief Minister must be held responsible for whatever happens to Raavan.
Raavan’s bail hearing is ongoing at the Kakinada court at the time of publishing this article.
Also Read: Case against AP police personnel who arrested YouTuber KV Reddy
Meanwhile, Kalyan released a video message on Wednesday night announcing the creation of a dedicated cell in his office to receive public complaints about social media misuse.
Citizens can submit digital evidence such as screenshots, links, or videos, which officials will verify before initiating legal action under the BNS, BNSS, and IT Act. He urged people to identify repeat offenders and file complaints against them.
While welcoming criticism, Kalyan urged social media users to be respectful and warned offenders of consequences.
“Freedom of speech does not mean the freedom to abuse. You have the right to criticise the government. Question us and disagree with our decisions; that’s democracy. We welcome it,” he said.
The actor-politician argued that free expression under the Constitution is not absolute, and cited Article 19(2), which allows reasonable restrictions relating to public order, decency, morality, defamation, and incitement to crime.
He claimed that abuse, threats, baseless allegations, targeting women, and insults to religious sentiment do not fall under constitutionally protected speech.
(Edited by Majnu Babu).
