Hyderabad court drops organized crime charges against journalists

A Hyderabad court has dropped organized crime charges against two journalists, Revathi Pogadadanda and Thanvi Yadav, stating that the charges under Section 111 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita were unjustified. The court found no evidence of monetary transactions or other required factors. The journalists were arrested on March 11 for allegedly sharing defamatory content about Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy. While the serious charges were dismissed, the court upheld other accusations related to false information under the Information Technology Act. The Chief Minister has expressed strong criticism of social media and hinted at new regulations for journalism. He has also defended the police's actions against the journalists, claiming they provoked public disorder. Both journalists are seeking bail, with a court decision expected on March 17.