PUCL leader gets bail in Facebook post case

PUCL Andhra Pradesh unit president Jaya Vindhyala being escorted out of the district jail in Ongole on Tuesday. Photo: Kommuri Srinivas

People's Union of Civil Liberties (PUCL) Andhra Pradesh unit president Jaya Vindhyala, arrested on charges of “objectionable postings” on Facebook against Tamil Nadu Governor, K. Rosaiah and Chirala MLA, Amanchi Krishna Mohan, was released on bail from the district jail here on Tuesday.

Two sureties

The Additional Munsif Magistrate Shiva Sankara Reddy issued the bail order after she furnished two sureties for Rs. 10,000 each. While granting bail, the magistrate noted that the investigating officer had not produced “screen-shots” of the Facebook comments in support of the complaint and the remand report.

On her release, she left in a car hurriedly accompanied by her supporters fearing arrest in two other cases pending against her in Chirala and Vetapalem in Prakasam district.

The Chirala police picked Ms Vindhyala from her Hyderabad residence, after booking her for offences under section 66 (A) of the Information Technology Act, and IPC section 120(B) (criminal conspiracy).

Prakasam Superintendent of Police K. Raghuram Reddy told

The Hindu, “we have written to the Facebook, Yahoomail and the Tata Teleservices to establish that she wrote derogatory remarks and used the data card to post them on her Facebook account.

On getting replies from them, we will file charge sheet in the case.''

Plea turned down

Meanwhile, The AMM court turned down the plea of the Vetapalem police in Ongole division for production transit warrant against Ms. Vindhyala and eight other PUCL members in connection with a case filed based on a complaint from the Chirala MLA on April 15, 2013 under the IPC sections 120(B) and IPC 506 (criminal intimidation).

The trouble for Ms.Vindhyala and other PUCL members started ever-since they released a report of the fact-finding Committee exposing the alleged “'illegal activities” of the Chirala MLA, a close follower of Mr Rosaiah.

Ms. Vindhyala has been named accused in three cases including the one on posting of “objectionable comments” on the social networking site and another case in connection with alleged attempt to murder in Chirala town on a complaint from one Chittibabu. PUCL district President Dudu Vijay Sundar and its district Secretary D. Prakash were named accused in three other cases in the last three months.