Konatham Dileep was picked up from his home on Thursday, in connection with a video that he neither posted not shared. The incident pointed at the Revanth Reddy government's growing intolerance towards criticism, argues the author.
Published Sep 07, 2024 | 6:35 PM ⚊ Updated Sep 07, 2024 | 7:03 PM
Konatham Dileep was picked up from his home on Thursday, 5 August.
The former digital media director of Telangana, Konatham Dileep, was picked up from his Hyderabad residence on Thursday, 5 September, over another handle tweeting a video linked to the clash between two communities at Jainoor in Kumuram Bheem Asifabad district. He was detained over a post he had neither made or shared.
The clash was the fallout of an alleged sexual assault on a tribal woman, and Muslim-owned properties and mosques were targeted. Dileep’s detention sparked a protest, besides raising questions over freedom of speech in Telangana and the A Revanth Reddy-led Congress government’s tolerance towards dissent.
When we reached my apartment doorstep, the accompanying young police officer asked me to turn around and pose for a photograph.
Surprised, I asked him why he needed a photograph. He replied that he needed proof to show his superiors that I had been safely dropped off back home.
I smiled and obliged. The officer clicked my picture, with the door number visible in the background. We shook hands, and the officer and the constable left.
Thus ended my 12-hour-long ordeal, which started on a cloudy Thursday afternoon.
I was working from home that day, as my office was getting a fresh coat of paint. My wife had gone shopping, and my son was preparing for his exams in the next room.
At around noon, the doorbell rang. I opened the door and found four plainclothesmen staring at me. It took only a couple of seconds for me to realise that they were here to arrest me.
The Revanth Reddy government’s witch-hunt against me started almost six months ago. And the “crime” I had committed was questioning this clueless and draconian regime. I constantly reminded people of the broken “promises”. Sadly, this government, which calls itself a “people’s government,” is the exact antithesis of that.
After literally promising the moon, the Congress government has failed spectacularly in all sectors. From farmers to job aspirants, from the countryside to Hyderabad, everyone is witnessing the results of the last nine months of misrule.
When Congress won the majority in December 2023, and Revanth became the chief minister, activists like me, who were part of the Telangana statehood struggle, were seriously concerned. In a democracy, the people’s mandate is final, and we have no qualms about people choosing a different party.
The main concern about Revanth was his dubious background and complete lack of experience in administration. When the statehood agitation was at its peak, Revanth was hobnobbing with anti-Telangana forces. He once carried a gun to protect N Chandrababu Naidu from the wrath of Telangana activists.
Moreover, he and Naidu were prime accused in the infamous ‘Vote for Note‘ case, which is perceived as a conspiracy against the first democratically elected government after Telangana’s formation.
The 2023 Assembly election campaign saw Congress luring voters with 420 promises and running a smear campaign against the BRS government. But soon after assuming power, the Congress party began reneging on its promises. And when people like me questioned this, the government retaliated with false police cases.
Numerous false cases were filed against people for posting on social media. Some BRS sympathisers were picked up and tortured, even for putting up a WhatsApp status.
On 1 May 2024, plainclothesmen waylaid Manne Krishank, BRS Social Media Convener, and abducted him. After the BRS leadership and cadre raised a hue and cry, they showed the arrest after 10 hours. The false case filed against him was based on a post on X. He was released on bail after almost 10 days.
On 22 May, the Telangana government filed a false case against me. It was based on my X post, questioning the government about a purported change to the TGSRTC emblem.
While I merely used an image reported by all media houses, the government falsely accused me of creating that “emblem.” While the case itself was false, the police swooped down on my house and also on the homes of my close relatives to arrest me.
I had to approach the high court and file a petition to quash this false case and stop the police from arresting me illegally. I received interim relief from the high court.
After failing to arrest me in that case, the Revanth Reddy government intensified its efforts to detain and silence me. Several media friends started sending me ‘alerts’ based on the chatter they had heard in power corridors. Some ‘friendly’ police officers, too, began sending me messages that I should ‘cool down’ or face incarceration!
So, when I saw those plainclothes officers at my doorstep, I knew the moment had finally arrived. Once the policemen came inside, they told me I should accompany them to the station. When I asked the reason, they said it was related to a social media post.
They insisted on me going to the station, even after I argued with them for over half an hour. I asked my wife to inform a lawyer friend and accompanied the policemen to the Cyber Crime Station at Basheer Bagh.
After reaching the station, I was informed that the case was about a post on an X handle, TeluguScribe. The post was a news update about communal clashes in Jainoor village. I was surprised because there was nothing illegal in that post. It was similar to updates published by many other media outlets. The police falsely accused me of being behind that post.
I promptly denied any connection to it and pointed out that the post was not illegal, as it was simply a news update with nothing that incited communal violence. Isn’t it ironic that this inept government falsely implicated a staunch secular activist like me in a case related to communal tension?
A couple of police officers questioned me about the post for a few more hours. Meanwhile, several top BRS leaders, who learned of my arrest, arrived at the station. They tried to reason with the police, explaining that the case was false and that I had no connection to the post.
BRS Working President KT Rama Rao issued a statement condemning my illegal detention. Ex-minister Jagadish Reddy, BRS leader and ex-IPS officer RS Praveen Kumar, and dozens of top leaders protested in front of the police station, demanding my release.
As the protests for my release grew louder and the situation became tense, the police hurriedly bundled me into a vehicle and shifted me to an unknown location in Secunderabad. Further interrogation continued. I denied any wrongdoing and demanded that I should be set free immediately. I refused to eat anything until I had access to my lawyer.
My ordeal continued until late at night, as the police were clueless about how to proceed. They didn’t have an iota of proof to implicate me. They were waiting for instructions from their political bosses about further course of action.
Around midnight, a senior officer handed me a notice under Section 35(3) Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (equivalent to 41 A CrPC). He dialled his superior, who informed me over the phone that I was being released and asked me to respond to the notice served to me.
I learnt a little later that the police tried to send me to custody, but when they sought a legal opinion, they were told that this flimsy case wouldn’t pass muster.
After about 12 hours of illegal detention, I was finally able to walk free. The incident proves how insecure the Revanth Reddy government is and its futile attempts to silence the questioning voices of Telangana. This whole episode only strengthened my resolve to fight against this draconian government.
My 15-year-old son, who was previously uncertain about his career choices, now seems to have found some clarity. As soon as I got home, he hugged me and shared that he plans to pursue a career in law!
So, it seems this witch hunt by the Congress government is indirectly helping solve one of the trickiest dilemmas my son has faced!
(Konatham Dileep, former digital media director, was active in the movement for a separate state for Telangana. A vocal critic of the Congress government, he has questioned the present dispensation’s alleged attempts to silence dissent. Views are personal. Edited by Majnu Babu).
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