In a decisive move against online disinformation, Tirupati police recently arrested two individuals accused of actively spreading false narratives on social media platforms.
The arrests followed a formal complaint from M. Ramachandra, the Prohibition and Excise Inspector for Tirupati Urban, to Superintendent of Police L. Subbarayudu. The complaint highlighted rampant fake news regarding the widespread availability of ‘illicit liquor,’ a claim that presented a serious health threat to the community in Tirupati.
Initial investigations into a viral video post quickly led Additional Superintendent of Police (Law and Order) K. Ravi Manoharachari to an Instagram account, @ysrcongressparty_tirupati, and a linked Facebook page, ‘YSR Congress Party Tirupati’. These platforms had shared alarming content depicting a man supposedly collapsing after consuming alcohol in the city.
Following the registration of a case at the Tirupati East police station, Deputy Superintendent M. Bhaktavatsalam meticulously reviewed CCTV footage, enabling him to pinpoint the individuals responsible for creating and distributing the misleading videos.
The arrested individuals were identified as Chandrasekhar Venkatesh (25), a personal assistant to YSRCP MLC Cipai Subramanyam, and B. Naveen (38), a known associate of former Deputy Mayor Bhumana Abhinay Reddy.
Police stated that both Venkatesh and Naveen confessed to filming the video, manipulating its content, and adding inflammatory commentary. Their motive, as revealed, was to discredit the government, particularly the Excise department. Further evidence, including WhatsApp messages, call records, and timestamps of video shares, reinforced the conclusion that they intentionally engaged in a campaign of misinformation.