Telangana SIT investigates media over harassment, defamation of woman IAS officer
Telangana Police have set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to look into serious allegations against nine media entities, including television and YouTube channels.
These groups are accused of publishing obscene and defamatory content about a woman IAS officer—claims that include fabricated stories about her personal life, fabricated messages presented as evidence, and insinuations about her official postings being linked to personal relationships.
The SIT is handling cases from Hyderabad and Narayanpet, using new legal sections under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
What's happening now: charges, backlash, and official response
The charges include sexual harassment, stalking, privacy invasion, and criminal intimidation. The complaint was filed by the state's IAS Officers's Association against major Telugu news channels like NTV and Prime9 Telangana.
Officers say these reports violated the officer's privacy and led to cyberstalking. The SIT is also looking into doctored images of Chief Minister Revanth Reddy.
Government officials have called out the rumors as "false propaganda," urging responsible journalism. Officer associations are demanding public apologies, immediate removal of harmful content, and warning they won't tolerate attacks on their members' reputations.