No Warrant, No Explanation: Sakshi Editor Slams TDP Govt for Attacking Press Freedom

Sakshi Editor Dhananjaya Reddy on Thursday (May 8) condemned the police raids at his residence, declaring that he would file a formal complaint with the Press Council of India and approach the courts, citing an attack on press freedom. He accused the TDP government of resorting to vendetta politics, even as Sakshi News was merely doing its job—reporting on public issues and governance lapses.

Reddy stated that around 10:40 a.m., a group of 10 police personnel arrived at his residence in Vijayawada, without presenting a search warrant.

“The police were clear in their intentions but gave no explanation as to why they were searching my house. This is likely the first time a newspaper editor’s residence has been raided in this manner,” he said.

Highlighting the repeated attempts by the TDP to silence Sakshi News, Reddy said the organisation has been under attack simply for reflecting public sentiment and exposing government failures.

“This is a clear attempt by the government to suppress dissent. We have reported on its broken promises, scams involving sand and liquor, the Vijayawada floods, the Tirupati stampede, and most recently, the negligence that led to the deaths of seven people in the Simhachalam temple tragedy,” he asserted.