The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Telugu journalists found prima facie guilty: Minister

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Wednesday, Nov 14, 2007
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Telugu journalists found prima facie guilty: Minister

Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD: The Andhra Pradesh government has expressed its firmness in bringing out facts pertaining to the cases registered against two journalists of vernacular dailies in Kurnool district even as they were released on bail on Tuesday after spending six days in the sub-jail.

Additional Judicial First Class Magistrate L. Tejovathi granted bail to B. Urukundu of Andhra Bhoomi and B. Sriramulu of Andhra Jyothi against personal surety of Rs. 10,000 each. The issue rocked the Legislative Assembly for the second day with the Opposition insisting that the government unconditionally release the two.

The Opposition members, including TDP deputy floor leader T. Devender Goud, and others criticised the Government for its efforts to “stifle” the voice of the media.Making a statement, Home Minister K. Jana Reddy said a Deputy Inspector General of Police had been asked to inquire into the episode and he would submit his report in a day or two. The government would consider withdrawal of cases against the scribes only after examining the report, he said, in response to a unanimous demand made by the Opposition parties for their release. Asserting that the government had no intention to harass any person, much less journalists, he said Sriramulu and Urukundu werefound prima facie guilty in the incident.

Inspection of cell-phones “confirmed” that they had tried to blackmail Amadagundla village assistant K. Maddileti demanding money during telephonic conversation they had with him at 5 pm, 8 pm and 10.30 pm on October 23. Kurnool district manager, Housing, P. Vijayakumar, lodged a complaint with the Kodumur police complaining that Mr. Maddileti had signed a blank application of housing scheme on the day, subjecting the Government to a possible loss of Rs. 51,000 in cash and 140 bags of cement. Cases had been registered under sections 464, 420 and 409 of the IPC as the scribes wrote the names of Marketing Minister M. Marappa, Akkineni Nagarjuna and MLA M. Sikhamani on the application form and gave an impression that the officials concerned were responsible for it.

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