Supreme Court Grants Bail To Journalist Kommineni Srinivasa Rao
The Supreme Court today granted bail to senior journalist Kommineni Srinivasa Rao, who was arrested by the Andhra Pradesh Police after alleged defamatory remarks were made by a panellist during a live television show hosted by him.
A Bench of Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra and Justice Manmohan remarked, “Someone makes an outrageous statement, we laugh about it.”
Senior Advocate Siddharth Dave, appearing for Kommineni Srinivasa Rao, submitted that Rao had not made the objectionable remarks and could not be held liable for statements made by another participant in a live debate. He argued, “This is my freedom… someone else is making a statement.” When Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra remarked, “This is like Navika, Sardesai or Swamy,” Senior Advocate Dave responded, “Absolutely.” Justice Manmohan also said, “Someone else is making a statement.”
Opposing the plea, Senior Advocates Mukul Rohatgi and Siddharth Luthra, appearing for the State of Andhra Pradesh, argued that Rao was not a passive bystander but was seen laughing and thereby abetted the offence. Rohatgi submitted, “He was goading and abetting that man who was making the statement, he was laughing… He is not a bystander. He is a part of the same channel.” Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra noted, “Everyday this is happening.”
The Court thereafter ordered, “The petitioner is a senior journalist, aged seventy years. He is a TV anchor showing ‘Live with KSR’ on the Sakshi TV. He is challenging his arrest and remand. It is argued that when the petitioner was hosting the TV show on 06.06.2025, one of the panelists made an allegedly defamatory statement and the petitioner did not object to it rather was seen laughing. It is argued that the petitioner is nowhere concerned with the statement made by one of the participants.
Senior Advocates Mukul Rohatgi and Siddharth Luthra for the State submit that the petitioner has abetted the crime by laughing and by being a mute spectator.
Considering that the petitioner himself has not made any such statement and his journalistic participation in a live TV show deserves to be protected so that the freedom of speech is also protected in the process, we direct that the petitioner shall be released in relation to the FIR… subject to the conditions to be imposed by the trial court.
It is made clear that the petitioner shall not involve himself in any defamatory statement either by himself or by allowing others to make such statements in his presence in the show which the petitioner is anchoring or hosting.”
Background
The petitioner, a 70-year-old senior journalist, anchors the television program “Live with KSR” aired on Sakshi TV. He was arrested in connection with remarks made by one of the panelists during a live broadcast on June 6, 2025. The State alleged that by not objecting to the remarks and laughing during the show, the Rao abetted the offence.
Cause Title: Kommineni Srinivasa Rao v. State of Andhra Pradesh (W.P. (Crl.) No. 244/2025)
