Jagan-led govt files false cases against 3 journos in AP

Andhra Police have registered a case against three photojournalists for their alleged involvement in shooting video of a woman constable while she was changing her clothes. However, the accused journalists denied the charges and said that they are being framed as they were bringing to light the police excesses over the past few days on the farmers in Amaravati.

Hyderabad: The YSR Congress Party government led by YS Jaganmohan Reddy, which brought the government order (GO) 2430 to restrain the freedom of the media has put the order in force by slapping cases on three photojournalists on flimsy grounds for their reportage on the ongoing agitating farmers in Amaravati.

The police have filed a case against all three cameramen Maridiah, Ramesh Chaudhary and Krishna under section 354C of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and under the provisions of Nirbhaya act. One of the photographers Maridiah is Eenadu staff.

According to the charges, the photojournalists shot the video when a woman constable was changing her dress.

Students were found sitting outside the classroom.

However, the accused journalists denying the charges said that they are being framed as they were bringing to light the police excesses over the past few days on the farmers in Amaravati.

Over the past several weeks media and television channels have been extensively covering the farmers' agitation in the capital region. Police atrocities on women, children and farmers have been widely reported.

In the last one month, the state government has banned several TV channels in Amaravati. All the three journalists who have framed with various charges allege that the Jagan-led government is trying to suppress and intimidate the media.

But according to Tenali Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Srilakshmi, "Many women police personnel are drawn for assembly bandobast. They are given accommodation at Mandadam ZPH school. This morning at around 11:30, cameramen of three channels went there and shot a video of the woman constable while she was changing her dress. They recorded the video through the window of that room."

The journalists say that they received the information that the Mandadam ZPH school is used for police lodging, whereas the children were made to sit outside the class. Villagers and parents took umbrage to this and went to school to register their protest in the midst of police presence. Journalists, photographers and videographers who were already on the spot to cover the event instead became the target of police.

Clothes were found lying on desks in classrooms of the school.

The media found the charges made by the parents, true. The children were indeed sitting outdoors. In one of the rooms, some clothes were even found on tables and chairs on the volleyball court.