Vijayawada: Prakasam district police in Andhra Pradesh once again issued notices to controversial filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma on Wednesday, summoning him for questioning on Feb 4 at the Ongole rural police station in connection with a case related to his ‘objectionable’ social media posts.
The complaint, registered at Maddipadu police station, alleged that Varma made “derogatory” remarks against TDP chief and chief minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu, Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan, and TDP general secretary Nara Lokesh on social media.
Following the complaint filed by a TDP leader, a case was registered against Varma under various sections of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Information Technology Act on Nov 11. He was accused of posting defamatory comments and morphed images of Naidu, his son Lokesh, and deputy CM Pawan on social media during the promotion of his film ‘Vyuham’, which is reportedly based on YSRCP chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s life.
The filmmaker later approached the Andhra Pradesh high court seeking anticipatory bail. While the court directed the police not to arrest him, it also instructed him to cooperate with the investigation. Acting on the order, Prakasam police served him fresh notices via WhatsApp on Wednesday.
However, in his response, Varma expressed his inability to attend the questioning on Feb 4. “He stated that he would be unavailable on that day due to a film shoot and said he would appear for questioning on Feb 7,” Ongole rural CI M Srikanth Babu told TOI.
The complaint, registered at Maddipadu police station, alleged that Varma made “derogatory” remarks against TDP chief and chief minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu, Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan, and TDP general secretary Nara Lokesh on social media.
Following the complaint filed by a TDP leader, a case was registered against Varma under various sections of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Information Technology Act on Nov 11. He was accused of posting defamatory comments and morphed images of Naidu, his son Lokesh, and deputy CM Pawan on social media during the promotion of his film ‘Vyuham’, which is reportedly based on YSRCP chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s life.
The filmmaker later approached the Andhra Pradesh high court seeking anticipatory bail. While the court directed the police not to arrest him, it also instructed him to cooperate with the investigation. Acting on the order, Prakasam police served him fresh notices via WhatsApp on Wednesday.
However, in his response, Varma expressed his inability to attend the questioning on Feb 4. “He stated that he would be unavailable on that day due to a film shoot and said he would appear for questioning on Feb 7,” Ongole rural CI M Srikanth Babu told TOI.
