In the past 72 hours, Andhra Pradesh political and social media space was abuzz with the arrest of Inturi Ravi Kiran. He is an administrator of a Facebook page ‘Political Punch’, which is Pro-YSRCP, notorious for morphing images of AP chief minister and his son Nara Lokesh. Some of the media projected this incident as government’s suppression of social media. However, emerging details show this is not the first-time Mr. Ravi Kiran was detained by the police.
On 5th August 2014, Vishakhapatnam police detained Inturi Ravi Kiran in Mahbubnagar in a case filed by then YSRCP Araku MP K. Geetha. She complained to police that a Facebook page run by Ravi Kiran posted vulgar comments and cartoons humiliating her. When reports surfaced in the last week of July 2014 about the MP Geetha’s defection from YSRCP to TDP, Ravi Kiran allegedly posted derogatory content against her. A case under Section 66 (A) of Information Technology Act-2000, section 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult modesty of a woman) of Indian Penal Code and the Prevention of Atrocities against Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes-1989, was registered against him along with one other person. Ravi Kiran spent 15 days in jail in this case. This did not stop him from posting political abusive satires on social media. He created another Facebook page ‘Political Punch’ in November 2014.
On April 21, 2017 Ravi Kiran got into trouble, for posting a photo which showed Nara Lokesh, asking his father to send him to “Peddhala Sabha” (Upper House), while a banner of a kissing couple placed in front of the state’s new Legislative Council building, said that it was for “adults only”.
Ravi Kiran claims to be an ardent fan of late YS Rajasekhar Reddy. Ravi Kiran’s wife confessed on television that his husband works for YSRCP office. However, he stated that the page is not associated with the YSRCP. He claims to be hired by YCP social media cell only a year and half ago while the page was created two and half years ago.
Though Ravi Kiran was released by the police yesterday, if reports are to be believed he will be prosecuted by the legislative body using the assembly privileges for its contempt.
