Recent political developments in Andhra Pradesh have been under a cloud due to controversies erupting around the state government’s actions making it front page news. A new controversy has erupted involving top YSRCP leaders with legal notices being issued to them following several posts in social media, leading to some even facing arrest threats. The police action followed the statements of Varra Ravindra Reddy, one of the Pulivendula leaders, that led to the issuance of 41-A notices on important persons such as Sajjala Bhargav Reddy and Arjun Reddy.
In an official move, the police have summoned Sajjala Bhargav Reddy and Arjun Reddy for questioning on Monday as part of an investigation into alleged offensive social media activity. In addition, several other YSRCP social media activists have also received notices, asking them to appear for further investigation. Varra Ravindra Reddy, who faces allegations of posting inappropriate content online, has named several YSRCP leaders during his questioning, prompting the police to target them as part of the probe.
Varra Ravindra Reddy has been designated as the primary accused (A1), with Sajjala Bhargav Reddy and Arjun Reddy listed as secondary accused (A2 and A3). Ravindra Reddy has already been arrested and remanded to Kadapa Jail. When police went to serve notices to Sajjala Bhargav Reddy at his residence in Vijayawada, he was unavailable, so the notice was handed over to his mother. Arjun Reddy, too, has received a 41-A notice, and the police have issued look-out notices for all three leaders. As the case progresses, speculation is growing about the potential arrests of Sajjala Bhargav Reddy and Arjun Reddy.
Sajjala Bhargav Reddy, who took charge of YSRCP’s social media operations in 2022, is allegedly involved in posting content that targeted opposition leaders in an inappropriate manner. According to Varra Ravindra Reddy’s statement, the offensive posts were allegedly made under Bhargav Reddy’s direction, which has brought him under the spotlight in the ongoing investigation. The charges, filed under the IT Act, BNS Act, and Atrocities Act, stem from incidents that occurred on November 8.
Ravindra Reddy is currently facing ten cases in Kadapa district and more than forty cases across the state. As scrutiny intensifies on Sajjala Bhargav Reddy and Arjun Reddy, there is growing speculation about their potential arrests, adding further complexity to the controversy surrounding YSRCP’s social media activities and the legal challenges its leaders are facing.
