YSRCP social media activist Ravinder Reddy arrested

Kadapa police on Monday arrested YSRCP social media activist Varra Ravinder Reddy for allegedly uploading derogatory and abusive posts against the family members of Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan on social media platforms. Two of his friends, who gave Ravinder Reddy shelter despite knowing his act, were also arrested.

The police were on a hunt for Ravinder Reddy for the past few days while the case was under investigation. Announcing the arrest of Ravinder Reddy and others, Kurnool Range DIG Koya Praveen said that the accused uploaded offensive social media posts targeting politicians.

Hailing from Vemula mandal in the district, Ravinder Reddy used to work in a private cement factory from 2012 and was active on social media. “In 2018, he left the job and started working full time in YSRC[P] social media wing and worked as district co-convenor. The party’s social media wing later witnessed a complete change in 2020,’’ Mr. Koya Praveen said.

The DIG said the then government appointed C. Vasudeva Reddy, head of a media organisation, as head of A.P. Digital Corporation (APDC), a government wing. The APDC had a team of 65 members, and the services of some of them were utilised for YSRCP social media work, he said.

Mr. Koya Praveen said that questioning of the accused showed that after COVID-19, party leader Sajjala Bhargav Reddy came into the picture and since then, posting of objectionable and abusive content on social media platforms began. “The first such abusive posts started targeting the High Court judges who gave verdict in the Amaravati capital case; later the family members of political rivals were targeted,’’ he said.

Mr. Koya Praveen said 45 individuals and 40 social media handles were identified for posting the abusive content. “Our investigation revealed that some persons used to send the morphed pictures to these individuals. We have also found that the party social media district convenors and co-convenors were paid ₹8,000 a month from the APDC,’‘ the DIG said.

Mr. Koya Praveen said the wing used to have 40 YouTube channels and they used to operate from the YSRCP social media wing office at Tadepalli. The DIG said the accused also told them that Bandi Raghava Reddy, PA of Kadapa MP Y.S. Avinash Reddy, also used to provide the content for posting on social media platforms.

A case has been registered against Ravinder Reddy under the BNS and the IT Act.

Published - November 11, 2024 11:05 pm IST