Two days after the arrest of Sakshi TV news presenter and veteran journalist Kommineni Srinivas, Andhra Pradesh police have finally taken into custody the main accused VV Krishnam Raju for his derogatory remarks on Amaravati farmers during a live debate last week. He was arrested on Wednesday night while trying to escape from Vishakapatnam. The police have reportedly took two of his associates into custody as well.

The remarks, aired live on Sakshi TV on June 6, were reportedly made by journalist VV Krishnam Raju, who allegedly referred to the Amaravati region as a “capital of prostitutes. In no time, these unsavory comments triggered a massive public outcry and received outright condemnation from all quarters irrespective of political affiliations.

A case was filed on June 9 at the Thullur Police Station in Guntur district under several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Information Technology Act, and Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The FIR includes offences under sections 79, 196(1), 353(2), 299, 356(2), 61(1)BNS, 67 ITA-2008, 3(1)(U), SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

Kommineni was arrested from Hyderabad immediately and was sent to remand for 14 days. Meanwhile, Krishnam Raju went into hiding with the fear of arrest. AP Police tracked his mobile location using cell tower signals and finally nabbed him near Bheemunipatnam. He will be transferred to Vijayawada this morning and will be produced before the magistrate.

Krishnam Raju has the reputation for making controversial comments on Amaravati and the agitating farmers who fought vigorously in the last five years when YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s government announced the shifting of capital to Vishakapatnam..