Vizag: Political satirist posts derogatory remarks against MLA on Facebook, held

Visakhapatnam: The Vizag police arrested Inturi Ravikiran, a political satirist running a Facebook page titled Political Punch, in Visakhapatnam and sent him to remand on Tuesday.

ACP (SC/ST Cell-I) B. Mohan Rao said Payakaraopeta MLA V. Anitha lodged a police complaint in III Town police station of the city on April 19 about allegedly derogatory Facebook posts against her.

Police said Mr Ravikiran had posted some indecent images with comments on the MLA on February 27.

The police added that the accused had previously made similar posts on Araku Member of Parliament K. Geetha in 2014, and he had been arrested and sent to remand then as well.

“As he has been repeatedly committing offences against women people’s representatives from weaker sections by posting and publishing derogatory comments against them, he was arrested today under various sections, including Section 6 in the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1986. & 3(1 )(r), 3(2)(va) of SC/ST (POA) Amendment Act-2015,” Mr Mohan Rao said.

Mr Ravikiran said he did not post any content with an intention to insult or humiliate anyone individually.

“In one of my Facebook posts, I just mentioned her weight. But I didn't made any derogatory comments against her,” he said.

Earlier in April, a case was registered by Tulluru police against him for posting “derogatory” content about the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council.