The Andhra Pradesh High Court came down heavily on the police over the rise of abusive and objectionable posts on social media, questioning whether they are “sleeping” on the issue.
During the hearing of a petition filed by YSRCP leader Sajjala Bhargav Reddy, the court made sharp observations on the failure to control such content.
The judges questioned how people are freely posting offensive content without fear and asked if this is happening because police are not acting properly. Referring to provocative flex banners in Vijayawada, the court clearly hinted that such incidents point to serious lapses in enforcement.
It observed that police are not taking social media violations seriously, which is making people more bold. According to the court, if earlier cases had been properly investigated and taken to court, such behaviour would not have continued.
The High Court also made a strong point that insulting the Chief Minister is equal to insulting the people of the state. It said ideological differences are acceptable, but personal and family-based attacks cannot be tolerated.
The court recalled the 2020 case involving objectionable posts against High Court judges. Even after the case was handed over to the CBI, there was no proper outcome. This, the court noted, has encouraged offenders.
The judges also questioned the approach of police, CID and even the CBI, saying strict action at the initial stage could have prevented repeated incidents. It stressed that enforcement must create fear among those misusing social media.
During the hearing, the court also examined the Look Out Circular issued against Sajjala Bhargav Reddy. It asked whether proper notices were given and whether there is proof that he did not cooperate with the investigation.
After hearing both sides, Justice Battu Devanand reserved the judgment.
The message from the court was clear, freedom of expression does not mean freedom to abuse, and weak enforcement is only encouraging misuse.
