Senior journalist Kommineni Srinivasa Rao has received major relief from the Supreme Court.
Recently, during a debate hosted by Kommineni on Sakshi TV, political analyst Krishnam Raju made objectionable comments about Amaravati women.
Despite Kommineni being the host, the police arrested him as well, which sparked widespread debate. He was arrested in Hyderabad and taken to Andhra Pradesh, where he is currently lodged in Guntur jail.
The Mangalagiri court had already pointed out that booking Kommineni under SC/ST Atrocities Act was incorrect and ordered the removal of that section from his case.
However, the court had still remanded him. Kommineni then approached the Supreme Court for bail.
During the hearing, the Supreme Court made some crucial observations regarding Kommineni’s arrest.
The judges questioned: “Can you arrest Kommineni Srinivasa Rao just because he smiled?” They further remarked that even during court proceedings, people sometimes smile.
The bench asked how Kommineni could be held responsible for the remarks made by the analyst during the debate.
The Supreme Court emphasized the need to protect democracy and freedom of speech.
Granting bail to Kommineni, the court directed the police to release him immediately. With this, Kommineni is set to walk free.
