AP slaps notice on KCR kin's channel

In the continuing battle of wits over the cash-for-votes scam and the alleged telephone tapping, the Andhra Pradesh Police issued notices to Telugu news channels T News — owned by Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao’s family — and Sakshi — owned by YSR Congress president and State leader of Opposition YS Jaganmohan Reddy — for broadcasting an alleged audio tape recording of the conversation between Telangana TRS MlA Stephenson and AP CM Chandrababu Naidu.

Alleging that their broadcast could lead to disturb the relationship between the two neighbouring States, police asked both the channels to submit their reply within three days.Notice to T News was served around Saturday midnight by AP CID officer Ramanna and it was received by channel CEO Narayana Reddy. 

Visakhapatanam Deputy Commissioner Trivikrama Sarma said that a separate notice was sent to Sakshi.

The tape, which aired on June 7 at the peak of the cash- for-votes scam, added a new twist to the scam in which a TDP MlA in Telangana A Revanth Reddy was arrested by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) while allegedly offering a bribe of `50 lakh to the nominated MlA. 

The voice in the audio tape, believed to be of Chandrababu Naidu, was heard assuring Stephenson that all commitments will be honoured.“Since the programme telecast on June 7 around 8.30 pm contained material disturbing the public tranquility, affecting the maintenance of law and order as it is in violation of Section 5 of Rule 6 of Cable TV News Network Act, as the program is defamatory deliberate false with suggestive innuendos and half truths”, notice said.

Notice further alleged that the programme created a feeling of enmity, hatred and ill will between the different political parties and also the people of the two States.

“Visuals and words in the above program showed as if the Andhra Pradesh CM spoke to one person Stephenson. The footage was repeatedly shown in your channel affecting basic principles of decency, maligning elected head of Andhra Pradesh Government. You are well aware that the unedited versions of such slanderous material will have a deleterious impact on public. Please show cause within three days as to why undersigned shouldn’t initiate appropriate legal action for transmitting this program,” , the notice added.

Serving of notice on T News Channel around midnight evoked a sharp reaction from the management of the news channel as well as the journalistic fraternity of Telangana. “This is an attack on the freedom of press. Police visiting a news channel in the dead of the night does not augur well”, said Narayana Reddy, CEO of the channel. He said that his organization will lodge a complaint with the Press Council of India, Information and Broadcasting Ministry and other authorities including the Prime Minister.

Allam Narayana, Chairman, Telangana Press Academy warned Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and his ministers against conspiracies to destablise Telangana.“This is nothing but attack on Telangana media by Andhra Pradesh Government,” he told a meeting at Hyderabad Press Club.

“If any body is spread hatred and ill will, it is Chandrababu Naidu and his ministers and not the news channels”, he added.

On the appeal of the channel Telangna journalists held protest demonstrations at the Andhra Pradesh Secretariat and office of Andhra Pradesh Director General of police. They were shouting slogans against Chandrababu regime.The police chiefs of the two states met their respective Chief Ministers to discuss the latest developments.