By The Sampadak Express
The Supreme Court on Friday granted bail to senior journalist Kommineni Srinivasa Rao, who was arrested by the Andhra Pradesh Police over alleged derogatory remarks made during a live TV show he hosted. The court emphasized that Rao’s arrest violated his fundamental rights, including freedom of speech and journalistic freedom.
A bench comprising Justices Prashant Kumar Mishra and Manmohan heard the petition filed by the 70-year-old journalist challenging his arrest. Rao was taken into custody on June 9, after a guest on his program allegedly made disparaging comments about Amaravati, the proposed greenfield capital city of Andhra Pradesh, during the live broadcast on June 6.
Observing that Rao himself did not make the controversial statements, the Supreme Court underlined the importance of safeguarding journalists’ rights. “The petitioner himself did not make the statement on the live TV show, and his journalistic rights need to be protected so that his freedom of speech is also protected,” the bench stated.
The court ordered Rao’s release, directing that he be granted bail under conditions set by the trial court. However, the bench also cautioned Rao against making or allowing any further derogatory remarks on his show.
The Andhra Pradesh Police had arrested Rao from Hyderabad, leading to widespread debate over press freedom and the extent of a journalist’s liability for statements made by guests on their shows.
