By IANS
Hyderabad : Two Andhra Pradesh journalists are out on bail after six days in jail but the government seems firm on pursuing cases against them for an investigative story that also named Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy and film actor Nagarjuna.
B. Urukundu of Andhra Bhoomi and B. Sriramulu of Andhra Jyothi were released late Tuesday after a court in Kurnool granted them bail. They had been arrested Nov 7 and later sent to jail for “cheating and for writing stories that harmed the reputation of government and individual officials”.
The journalists claimed that they were exposing corruption in a housing scheme for the poor, but the authorities maintained that they used fraudulent methods in the story — which exposed how officials sanctioned houses under the scheme in the names of the chief minister, Nagarjuna, state minister M. Mareppa and legislator M. Sikhamani.
The journalists got the village secretary of Laddagiri in Kodumuru mandal to sanction houses in the names of these personalities.
The investigative story published Oct 23 said K. Madduleti signed the document for the release of money and cement bags for a bribe.
Police arrested the journalists on a complaint filed by the district officials. Justifying the action, police claimed that the journalists were at fault as they secured the certificate from the village secretary through fraudulent means.
The arrests evoked sharp reaction from the scribes and opposition parties, who alleged that the government was stifling the voice of the media.
The issue had rocked the state assembly for two days with the journalists staying away from the proceedings of house Tuesday and staging protests in the assembly premises.
Urukundu and Sriramulu were released hours after Home Minister K. Jana Reddy told the assembly that they were prima facie found guilty. He said the government had no intention of harassing any person, much less journalists.
The minister said the scribes had tried to blackmail an official by demanding money during a telephone conversation.
Jana Reddy said the government would consider withdrawing cases against them only after examining the inquiry report. Earlier, the chief minister refused to withdraw cases against them saying the police action was justified. He, however, said the government would not oppose their bail petition.
The entire opposition came down heavily on the government for its action against the journalists. T. Devender Goud, leader of the main opposition Telugu Desam Party, drew similarities between the governments of Rajasekhara Reddy and Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf.