A Hyderabad court Thursday granted bail to the Editor and two other journalists of Telugu daily Andhra Jyothi who were arrested for allegedly hurling casteist remarks at a Dalit leader.
While Editor K Srinivas was granted unconditional bail, the reporters M Vamsi Krishna and T Srinivas were given conditional bail and asked to report to Jubilee Hills police station once a week. After hearing the bail petition filed by the newspaper management, the Additional Metrolopolitan Sessions Judge granted them bail.
The scribes are at present lodged in Chanchalguda jail following their arrest under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act on June 24 based on a complaint by a Dalit organisation alleging that they had insulted its leader and burnt his effigy during a protest rally by the newspaper employees on May 26.
Meanwhile, representatives of Opposition parties on Thursday joined journalists in protesting against the arrests and demanding their immediate release. Hundreds of journalists accompanied by leaders and activists of main opposition TDP, CPI(M), CPI, BJP, TRS, Lok Satta and various civil society groups took out a march.
