'Singled Out For Police Action': Editor's Guild Condemns FIRs Against Andhra Daily Sakshi
New Delhi: The Editors Guild of India (EGI) wrote a letter to the Andhra Pradesh chief minister Chandrababu Naidu on Friday (September 19), condemning the recent criminal complaints and FIRs against Telugu daily Sakshi, the mouthpiece of the opposition YSR Congress Party, and several of its members.
“We write to you regarding recent disturbing developments in Andhra Pradesh concerning the treatment of the press by the police. Over the past few days, reports have emerged of a series of criminal cases being filed in different police stations against the Telugu daily Sakshi,” the Guild said in a statement.
It noted that Sakshi has been “singled out” especially at least in one instance regarding the coverage of a press conference by a political leader that was also carried by several other newspapers and media outlets.
The Editors Guild of India has written a letter to the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, on its concern regarding criminal complaints and FIRs against members of press in Andhra Pradesh.@AndhraPradeshCM @ncbn @sakshinews pic.twitter.com/YFApj9XEpq
— Editors Guild of India (@IndEditorsGuild) September 19, 2025
“The Editor of the paper has publicly stated that only his organisation has been singled out for police action for what was a routine journalistic activity. This selective application of criminal law appears to be an overreach by the police,” the statement read.
Stressing on protecting press freedom, the Guild said that it also consistently urges all media outlets to observe professional norms and uphold the principles of fairness and accuracy in their reportage.
It urged the chief minister to ensure that the media in Andhra Pradesh “is not subjected to harassment through frivolous or selective criminal complaints”.
“The conduct of the police must reflect professionalism and impartiality, and should not give the impression of vindictiveness against any publication. Criminal laws should not be weaponised to stifle or intimidate journalists for carrying out their duties in the public interest,” the statement said, urging the government to take urgent steps to “uphold the constitutional guarantees of free expression and safeguard an environment in which the press can discharge its responsibilities without fear.”
The EGI’s statement comes days after the Press Club of India criticised the Naidu government and the state police for the “systematic hounding” of the editor and journalists of the newspaper.
The Press Club had condemned the Andhra Pradesh police’s action of registering FIRs claiming that the criminal laws were invoked “selectively, and frivolously”, against the editorial staff of the newspaper, including editor Dhanunjaya Reddy.
Sakshi is run by Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy's family-owned parent company, Jagati Publications Ltd, which was founded by his late father, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy while he was chief minister.
As of now, the Andhra Pradesh high court has granted interim protection to the journalists named in the FIRs and restrained the police from taking any coercive action until the investigations were completed.
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