PNS|Vijayawada
The Supreme Court on Friday granted bail to senior journalist Kommineni Srinivasa Rao, offering a major relief to him.
Kommineni was recently arrested in Hyderabad and taken to Guntur after moderating a television debate on Sakshi TV, during which political analyst Krishnam Raju made controversial remarks about Amaravati women.
Although Kommineni did not make the comments himself, he was booked and remanded to judicial custody.
Earlier, the Mangalagiri court observed that the invocation of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act against Kommineni was unwarranted and ordered its removal from the case. However, the court had denied him immediate relief, prompting him to approach the Supreme Court.
During the hearing, the Supreme Court bench made key observations, questioning the basis of his arrest. “Can you arrest Kommineni Srinivasa Rao just because he smiled?” the judges asked, noting that even during court proceedings people often smile. The bench expressed concern over holding a moderator liable for a guest’s comments and underscored the need to uphold democratic values and freedom of expression.
Stating that the arrest lacked legal justification, the apex court directed his immediate release.
