Court Grants Bail to Journalists in Defamation Case

A city court granted bail to two journalists from a Telugu TV news channel, arrested over defamatory content allegations against a woman IAS officer. They were detained following a complaint by the Telangana IAS Officers' Association. After court hearings, bail was granted with additional conditions.

A city court has granted bail to two journalists from a Telugu TV news channel who were arrested in a case involving defamatory content against an IAS officer. The journalists had been arrested following a complaint by the Telangana IAS Officers' Association accusing certain channels of spreading false information about the officer.

Initially detained on January 14, the journalists were brought before the Judicial Magistrate after interrogation and seizure of material. However, the court rejected their remand, granting bail in the early hours of Thursday. Both journalists were released upon providing two sureties of Rs 20,000 each, with a condition to surrender their passports.

The FIR was filed under several sections of the law, including the IT Act and the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1986. The case, being investigated by a Special Investigation Team, also drew criticism from political circles, with BRS and BJP criticizing the Congress government in Telangana, demanding the journalists' release.

(With inputs from agencies.)