Two Telangana journalists, Pogadadanda Revathi, the Managing Director of Pulse News, and reporter Thanvi Yadav, were arrested on Wednesday by the Cyber Crime division of Hyderabad Police.
Their arrests follow accusations of disseminating allegedly offensive content about Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy.
A third individual, identified as the user behind the X account 'NippuKodi,' has also been detained in connection with the case.
The arrests stem from a complaint filed by the Congress' state social media unit chief.
The charges against them include publishing obscene material, organized crime, and criminal conspiracy, alongside spreading rumors intended to incite hatred and provoke disorder.
Controversy centers on a video posted on the 'NippuKodi' X account, featuring an interview by a Pulse News reporter in which the interviewee reportedly makes "derogatory" and "abusive" statements about the Chief Minister.
The complaint argues this constitutes a "highly provocative" act with the potential to incite violence, labeling the post as a "deliberate attempt by Pulse TV to defame and spread propaganda."
The arrests have sparked a vehement backlash from the opposition BRS, which was in power before the Congress' unexpected win in the 2023 elections.
KT Rama Rao of the BRS criticized the Congress for displaying "intolerance of criticism" and fostering an "extreme level of intolerance."
Speaking to NDTV, Rao remarked, "It feels like a state of Emergency has returned in Telangana."
In a detailed X post, Rao condemned the circumstances of Ms. Revathi's arrest, purportedly involving a police raid on her home at 5 am, as indicative of an "Emergency-style rule" under Congress.
He termed Ms. Yadav's arrest "atrocious" and highlighted concerns over press freedom in Telangana.
"The arrest of journalists for sharing a video featuring a farmer discussing his hardships under the Congress government underscores this government's repressive regime. Is this the constitutional rule Rahul Gandhi speaks of?" Rao questioned on X.
Interestingly, Ms. Revathi faced similar arrest circumstances during BRS tenure.
Subsequently, Rao took a swipe at Rahul Gandhi in another post, alluding sarcastically to the Congress leader's campaign habit of carrying a red-bound Constitution copy.
In response, BJP's Shehzad Poonawalla criticized the Congress for arresting a senior journalist simply for "highlighting the struggles and frustrations of Telangana's farmers."