4 scribes of TV news channel arrested for extortion in Tirupati

TIRUPATI: The Tirumala Two town police arrested in Tirupati four scribes belonging to Prime 9 News channel for allegedly resorting to extortion and threatening a person involved in a theft case.

According to the Tirumala Two Town Police Station Circle Inspector, the Prime 9 news channel reporters, identified as Suryanarayana Raju, Sunil, cameramen Ramakrishna and Balu, threatened one Ravi, who is an accused in a Parakamani theft case. They allegedly demanded Rs 50 lakh in exchange for not telecasting the news pertaining to his alleged theft.

Ravi pleaded with them, saying that he had not done any wrong and was already being punished for no fault of his. However, the television channel scribes kept blackmailing him through one of their friends.

Vexed with this, Ravi approached the Tirumala police for help. Based on a complaint filed by Ravi and on the evidence produced by him, a case was registered under Crime No. 90/2023 under Sections 384 and 506 read with 34. The scribes were booked on the orders of district SP Parmeshwar Reddy and subsequently arrested in Tirupati.

It also comes to light that the four-member team of the news channel had been in the habit of alleged extortion by blackmailing several other people for monetary gains.