HC Seeks Telangana Reply In FIR Over CM’s Photo

Justice J. Sreenivas Rao was hearing a quash petition filed by Venkatesh, who had registered an FIR against him based on a complaint alleging that the Maddur police in Narayanpet district edited a photograph of Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy in an obscene and derogatory manner. The complaint alleged that the edited image was published in a social media group called “Telangana Public TV WhatsApp Group” and spread on various social media platforms, tarnishing the image of the Prime Minister.

The petitioner’s lawyer sought quashing of the FIR, arguing that it was lodged only for the purpose of harassing him. However, during the hearing, the judge noted that the Supreme Court had taken such actions seriously in the past and underlined that victims had a fundamental right to challenge them. The court also observed that the right to freedom of expression cannot be abused to tarnish the honor of others.

The court directed the state government and the actual complainant, Goolla Narasimha, to record their views in response to the quash petition.