Cybercrime police conduct searches at Congress strategist Sunil Kaugolu\'s office
Hyderabad: The Hyderabad cybercrime police conducted searches at the office of Congress strategist Sunil Kanugolu in Madhapur late on Tuesday night, after receiving complaints stating that anti-government posts had been made on social media platforms against Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao.
The police had booked four cases invoking the IT act against Sunil in whose office the Pradesh Congress Committee war room was also located.
The complaints stated that derogatory comments were made against the Chief Minister by some new social media handles, following which the Hyderabad cybercrime police carried out raids at Kanugolu’s office after initial investigations. The employees were asked to step out and sources said it took the police 45 minutes to complete the search.
Taking serious view of the police searches, the PCC gave a call to party workers to hold a dharna at the city police commissioner’s office on Wednesday besides conducting protests at all mandal headquarters. The PCC also asked the party workers to burn effigies of the Chief Minister during the protests.
The incident caused anger among Congress leaders and workers who gathered at the office and picked up argument with police. Senior leaders Shabbir Ali, Mallu Ravi, former MLA E. Anil Kumar, DCC president Rohin Reddy rushed to the war room and questioned police high handedness and conducting searches without following due procedure. They raised slogans against the TRS government and Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao.
While police allowed the staff to return to their seats, police took all the senior leaders into custody and shifted them to the police station. Sources said the police seized some devices, including laptops and computers. Congress leaders alleged that police were conducting searches without even registering the FIR.
PCC president A Revanth Reddy condemned the police action which he said clearly indicated how terrified the Chief Minister is of Congress. “What an irony that KCR,his son and daughter have all been preaching about democracy and freedom of speech in recent times,” he said in a tweet.
AICC’s TS in-charge Manickam Tagore held that no due procedure had been followed. “Without following due process of law, KCR police have arrested our staff. No search warrant, no notice under 41A CrPC given. Complete violation of SC judgment in DK Basu case. KTR and City Police Commissioner CV Anand will be held accountable for this lawlessness (sic),” he tweeted.
Party senior leaders Ponnam Prabhakar and Mahesh Kumar Goud also condemned the “autocratic functioning” of Chandrashekar Rao and misuse of police machinery against rival political parties.
