The case arises out of a complaint filed on 10 January, alleging that a television channel and several electronic and digital media platforms carried “false, baseless and malicious” content against a woman IAS officer.
Published Jan 13, 2026 | 12:12 PM ⚊ Updated Jan 13, 2026 | 12:24 PM
Telangana police. (Wikimedia)
Synopsis: The Telangana Police constituted a Special Investigation Team to probe criminal cases registered in connection with the alleged telecast and online circulation of defamatory and obscene content targeting a serving woman IAS officer. However, critics said the state government launched restrictive measures against the media under the pretext of damage control.
Raising questions over the manner in which cases involving media organisations are handled, the Telangana Police on Monday, 12 January, constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe criminal cases registered in connection with the alleged telecast and online circulation of defamatory and obscene content targeting a serving woman IAS officer.
The cases were registered based on a complaint lodged by senior bureaucrat Jayesh Ranjan, IAS, Special Chief Secretary to the Telangana government and Secretary of the Telangana IAS Officers’ Association. The SIT will function under the overall supervision of VC Sajjanar, IPS, Commissioner of Police, Hyderabad City.
What has come as a surprise in official and media circles is the decision to constitute an SIT. Usually, in cases involving allegedly defamatory media content, the normal course of action has been to issue legal notices or seek civil remedies through courts. Contrary to this practice, the present case has been pursued as a criminal investigation.
The case arises out of a complaint filed on 10 January, alleging that a television channel and several electronic and digital media platforms carried “false, baseless and malicious” content against a woman IAS officer. The complaint specifically named NTV for telecasting the controversial content, which was later circulated widely by other media outlets and through social media platforms.
Apart from NTV, the complaint lists MR Media Telangana, Prime9 Telangana, PVTV News, Signal TV Telugu, Volga Times, Mirror TV Official and T News Telugu among the television channels, YouTube platforms and social media handles that allegedly broadcast or shared the content.
Following the telecast and online circulation of the content, Roads and Buildings Minister Komatireddy Venkata Reddy publicly expressed anguish, stating that the reports had hinted at his involvement. He said that character assassination was deeply painful and remarked that he had little interest in life after losing his son in a road accident earlier.
The minister termed the reportage despicable and warned that if such journalism continued, sincere and honest officers would suffer both professionally and personally.
The constitution of the SIT has triggered intense discussion over the approach adopted by the Telangana government in addressing the complaint submitted by the IAS Officers’ Association.
Meanwhile, discussions in political circles suggest that the SIT’s formation could be intended to demonstrate the government’s commitment to curbing scurrilous journalism and protecting the dignity of women officers, distancing itself from any alleged role in the airing of the controversial content.
Other sections speculate that the move indicates a crackdown on sections of electronic and digital media perceived to be on the side of the Opposition BRS.
Another possibility could be that NTV, the main news channel that broadcast the content, may have fallen out of favour with the government, which wanted to tighten the screws on it.
There is also a view that the entire exercise could just be window-dressing, since “the highest authorities” themselves are rumoured to have planted the story on NTV to cut the minister down to size and are now making a show of not tolerating scurrilous journalism by forming the SIT.
This, according to such speculation, is to prove their credentials that the “highest authorities” had nothing to do with the broadcasting of the news on NTV.
Reacting to the constitution of the SIT, Konatham Dileep, who was the digital media director of the Telangana government during the BRS regime, said that the Revanth Reddy government has now launched restrictive measures against the media under the pretext of damage control.
In a post on X, he said that the Congress government, taking advantage of this situation, has filed cases against T News, Signal TV, Mirror TV, Telugu Scribe and other channels that routinely question its corrupt and authoritarian style of governance — a deplorable act.
“If the news broadcast by NTV was indeed incorrect, action could have been taken against that particular channel. However, booking cases against television channels and digital media handles that stand with the people and hold the government to account, merely on the pretext that they referred to NTV’s report, is reprehensible,” he said.
He said that with opposition growing by the day and the Revanth Reddy government finding itself in a state of helplessness, it is digging its own grave by slapping cases on voices that question and challenge it.
“We appeal to the people of Telangana to oppose the illegal cases and repressive measures being imposed by the Revanth Reddy government on media organisations it finds inconvenient,” he said.
The SIT will be headed by N Swetha, IPS, Joint Commissioner of Police, North Zone. Other members include Yogesh Gautam, IPS, DCP, Chevella (Future City); K Venkata Lakshmi, DCP (Administration), Hyderabad City; V Aravinda Babu, DCP, Cyber Crimes, Hyderabad City; B Pratap Kumar, Additional SP (Vigilance and Enforcement); G Guru Raghavendra, ACP, CCS; C Shankar Reddy, Inspector, CI Cell; and P Harish, Sub-Inspector attached to the SHE Team/CI Cell.
According to the complainant, the broadcasts and online posts contained unverified insinuations, sexually coloured remarks and double-meaning expressions, while indirectly linking the officer’s official postings to alleged personal relationships.
Though the officer was not directly named, it was alleged that repeated references to her postings and career history effectively revealed her identity, violating her right to privacy and dignity.
Based on the complaint, the CCS police registered an FIR invoking Sections 75, 78, 79, 351(1) and 352(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, along with provisions of the Information Technology Act, including Section 67.
The complainant further alleged that the content was deliberately weaponised to harass the officer, outrage her modesty and undermine the dignity of the civil services, resulting in cyberstalking, mental trauma and reputational damage.
The SIT will examine the role of the managements, editors, reporters and anchors of the named media organisations, as well as associated social media handlers, in the creation, broadcast and circulation of the content.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil.)
