TDP Govt Targets Sakshi Again: Reporter’s Home Raided, Notices to Editor and Journalists

The Chandrababu Naidu-led government in Andhra Pradesh continued its attacks on the Sakshi news media organization.

In its latest move against dissent and press freedom, the TDP government sent police to the Sakshi office in Vijayawada early on Sunday (October 12) and filed complaints at the Nellore Police Station over reports on the rising trade of spurious liquor in the state.

The searches at the Vijayawada office began at 5 am and continued until 9 am, with employees pressured to accept the police notices.

Following Sakshi’s coverage of the rampant spurious liquor trade, two cases were registered against the media house, its editor R Dhananjaya Reddy, and reporters at Nellore Rural and Kaliguri police stations. The complaints originated from excise officials in Nellore district.

Excise Inspector Sheikh Abdul Jalil and Nellore-1 Excise Inspector P Ramesh Babu had filed complaints on Friday (October 10), alleging that the Sakshi articles on spurious liquor were misleading and damaging to the department’s reputation.

Cases were subsequently registered against Dhananjaya Reddy, the Nellore district bureau in-charge, and reporters under BNS Sections 353 (2), 356 (3) read with 3 (5).

The government’s high-handed approach extended further. A few excise officials conducted a search at the residence of Sakshi reporter R Rajagopal Reddy, accusing him of illegally selling liquor. While no evidence was found, the sudden raid caused panic and severe stress for Rajagopal’s family members.

On Saturday (October 11), Nellore Rural Police served a notice to Sakshi’s district bureau in-charge, summoning him for an enquiry at 10 am on Sunday.

It is also likely that police may visit Hyderabad to serve notices to Dhananjaya Reddy in connection with the case.