The Telangana Police’s Intelligence Wing has invoked the draconian Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) against the news platform TeluguScribe, seeking details of its X (formerly Twitter) account to identify its operator. Police allege that the account frequently posts objectionable content. 

The TeluguScribe account on X regularly posts content in favour of Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) and critical of the Congress party. The account and individuals associated with it have faced several FIRs under the present Congress government, on charges such as promoting enmity, inciting public mischief and publishing obscene content. However, this is the first time the UAPA Act has been invoked, which is usually applied to terrorism-related offences. 

The notice, dated April 18, was sent by R Bhaaskaran, Deputy Inspector General of Police, CI Cell, Intelligence Department, to X Corp’s Safety-Legal Policy division in Bastrop, Texas, under section 94 (summons to produce document or other thing) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) and section 43(F) (obligation to furnish information) of the UAPA.

The police requested “account registration information, usage logs and activity details” of the handle to aid an investigation into alleged unlawful activities.

The notice stated, “It has come to our attention that an individual has created an account @TeluguScribe on X.com and is frequently making tweets contain highly objectionable and filthy language along with morphed videos and photos.”

It further read, “This behaviour not only undermines the dignity of a public figure but also has the potential to incite hatred and violence. It is imperative that you intervene to address this matter and ensure that such abusive behaviour is not tolerated on your platform.”

Police said identifying the person behind the account was “essential… to prevent further harm and ensure that appropriate legal action can be taken.”

TeluguScribe, which describes itself as a popular social media handle covering Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, has denied all allegations and accused the state government of targeting it.

In its response, the platform said, “We are not terrorists, Revanth Reddy Garu!” and termed the move a “blatant abuse of power.”

In its statement, TeluguScribe said the invocation of UAPA — “a law primarily brought in to deal with terrorism and activities that threaten the sovereignty and integrity of the nation” — was unjustified and aimed at silencing dissent.

The platform added that “none of the allegations made by the State Police Department in their notice are true” and maintained that all its content is “in the public domain and completely legal.”

It further alleged that the Telangana government had filed “almost 70 cases” against it over the past two-and-a-half years, calling the latest action a “sinister attempt” to curb its “pro-people coverage.”

The Internet Freedom Foundation (IFF) also criticised the move, stating that the invocation of UAPA against a social media platform was an “ex-facie illegal abuse of an anti-terror statute.”

In its statement, IFF said, “The UAPA was enacted to address threats to the sovereignty and integrity of India and not to police political commentary or journalism critical of state governments.”

It further added that using the law to seek subscriber information “is a grave overreach that weaponises extraordinary criminal law to chill constitutionally protected speech under Article 19(1)(a).”

Commenting on the development, Hyderabad-based social activist SQ Masood questioned the state’s action, stating that the “vague explanation in the notice that the content is objectionable… is nothing but an attack on dissent.”

This report was republished from The News Minute as part of The News Minute-Newslaundry alliance. Read about our partnership here and become a subscriber here.