- There was tension in Telangana police detained three NTV journalists late on Tuesday night
- The arrests were related to a broadcast involving a serving woman IAS officer
- The police used force and made arrests without prior notice, sparking media backlash
Tension between the Telangana state administration and some sections of the media reached a boiling point on Wednesday following the late-night detention of three journalists from a prominent Telugu news outlet, NTV.
The arrests, which took place late on Tuesday night, are linked to a broadcast involving a serving woman IAS officer.
While the police cited defamation and legal violations as the basis of their action, the move has sparked a massive outcry over press freedom and the use of "high-handed" tactics.
The three journalists were taken into custody after the government ordered a Special Investigation Team to probe an "off-the-record" segment aired by NTV that officials claim was defamatory toward a senior woman bureaucrat.
The manner of the arrests, however, has drawn sharp criticism from media unions and civil society groups. Journalists and the media house have alleged use of force. Reports suggest the police used unnecessary physical force during the detentions.
Critics argue that the due process was bypassed, and the arrests occurred in the middle of the night without prior notice. Journalists' associations have termed the move an attempt to "gag the fourth estate".
On Wednesday afternoon, Hyderabad Police Commissioner VC Sajjanar addressed the media to justify the department's actions. The atmosphere turned hostile as reporters questioned the Commissioner on the necessity of late-night arrests for a defamation-related case.
As comparisons were drawn between the current climate and the 1975 Emergency, Commissioner Sajjanar grew visibly irate. He dismissed the allegations of state overreach with a blunt warning.
"If there were an Emergency-like situation, all of you gathered here at this press conference would be inside [jail]," Sajjanar remarked.
The Commissioner maintained that the law takes its course regardless of the profession of the accused and emphasised that the dignity of a public servant had been compromised by the broadcast.
The Telangana State Union of Working Journalists and various press clubs have demanded the immediate release of the NTV staff. They argued that while legal recourse for defamation exists, the use of police power to intimidate a news organisation sets a dangerous precedent.
