Formal Entry: NHRC Registers Case Pertaining to ‘Atrocities on Media Persons’ in NTV Arrest

(By Syed Ali Taher Abedi)

NEW DELHI / HYDERABAD — The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has officially docketed a case concerning the high-handed detention and subsequent arrest of Donthu Ramesh, Input Editor at NTV, by the Hyderabad Police.

The registration follows a formal complaint alleging a concerted abuse of executive power and a flagrant disregard for statutory criminal procedure.

The National Human Rights Commission, upon receipt of a petition instituted by distinguished human rights advocate Mr. Rama Rao Immaneni, did, on the 15th day of January, duly acknowledge the said complaint.

In the course of its official proceedings, the Commission was pleased to assign Diary No. 1079/IN/2026 thereto, thereby signifying that the matter stands formally entered upon the record of the Commission and shall henceforth be dealt with in accordance with law.

Allegations of Malafide Prosecution

The complaint asserts that the criminal machinery was set in motion via a vexatious and unsubstantiated complaint lodged by Mr. Jayesh Ranjan, IAS, in an alleged abuse of his official standing.

The underlying FIR pertains to a news broadcast involving an unnamed female IAS officer.

However, the petition contends that the broadcast in question provided no identifying particulars, names, or descriptions that could plausibly link the report to a specific individual.

Furthermore, it is argued that the complainant, Shri Jayesh Ranjan, lacked the locus standi to initiate such proceedings as he was not the aggrieved party, nor was any specific woman officer cited or demeaned in the telecast.

Violation of Statutory Safeguards & BNSS Compliance

The crux of the judicial grievance lies in the circumvention of Section 35(3) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS). Under this provision, the service of a prior notice is a mandatory prerequisite for arrests in specific categories of offences.

The complaint details a “forcible lifting” of the victim from the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) by a team in civilian attire—including ACP Guru Raghavendra and ASI Md. Aleem—without the fulfilment of these legal conditions. It is further alleged that senior police officials publicly acknowledged their defiance of these established procedural safeguards.

Judicial Intervention and Enlargement on Bail

Evidence of the tenuous nature of the arrest was noted when the victim and other journalists were produced before the Ld. Jurisdictional Magistrate, who, upon perusing the merits and the procedural history, ordered their immediate enlargement on bail. The petition suggests that the police action was a reactive measure following pressure from the IAS Officers Association, rather than a fact-based criminal investigation.

Prayers for Relief and Inquiry

In light of the alleged infringement of fundamental rights—specifically the right to personal liberty and the freedom of the press—the Commission has been moved to:

• Order a High-Level Inquiry: To be conducted by Sri C.V. Anand, IPS (CS Home), to investigate the conduct of the concerned police wing.
• Recommend Disciplinary Action: Against ACP Guru Raghavendra, ASI Md. Aleem, and other unidentified officials involved in the “illegal arrest and victimization.”
• Direct Compensation: For the victim for the trauma and loss of reputation incurred.
• Institutional Redressal: Issue guidelines to prevent the recurrence of state-sponsored harassment of media professionals performing their bona fide duties.

The matter remains under the NHRC’s scrutiny as it evaluates the preliminary evidence of procedural overreach and executive excess.