Two more channels booked for story on YSR death

Andhra Pradesh police booked cases against two more Telugu news channels including one owned by Congress MP Y S Jaganmohan Reddy over a report alleging conspiracy by Ambani brothers in the death of former chief minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy in a helicopter crash.

The city police booked cases against NTV and Sakshi TV owned by the YSR's son for airing news stories quoting a website report that there could be a foul play by Ambani brothers in the death of YSR in the crash in September last year, police said.

The channels were booked on charges of promoting enmity among different groups. Suo-moto cases of inciting ill-feeling among a section of people under Section 153 (A) and 505 (2) of IPC and Section 16 Cable Network Regulation Act were registered against Sakshi TV with Punjagutta police station and against NTV with Banjara Hills police station.

The State police booked a case against TV-5 management on similar charges and arrested two of its senior journalists -- Bramhananda Reddy and P Venkat Krishna last night.

The reports triggered widespread protests in the state as agitators vandalised the properties of both Mukesh Ambani and Anil Ambani groups.

"All the three cases have been transferred to CID and there could be some more arrests as the investigation progresses," a senior police official told PTI today.

The two arrested journalists are being interrogated and will be produced before a local court for remand, a senior CID official said.

Sources in the department said the police are cautious in proceeding for further arrests as there were widespread protests by Journalist Associations all over the State after the CID arrested the TV-5 editors.

Congress workers on Thursday night went on rampage and resorted to wide-spread destruction of properties belonging to Ambani brothers including damaging buses in various parts of the state, following the news report.