Andhra Pradesh police on Wednesday arrested Pudi Srihari, a general secretary of the YSR Congress Party, while he was on his way from the residence of party president and former Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy at Tadepalli.
According to YSRCP sources, during the detention, the police seized Srihari’s laptop and mobile phone.
“Authorities have not disclosed where he is being taken, raising serious concerns over transparency and civil liberties,” sources said.
Srihari, who served as Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) in the Chief Minister’s Office during Jagan’s tenure, was later elevated as YSRCP general secretary in charge of media affairs.
The police said Srihari was arrested in connection with alleged objectionable social media posts targeting Telugu Desam Party president and Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu.
The arrest follows a case registered in Chittoor district over controversial posts shared online.
The posts reportedly included images and content referring to a “blood history” of Chandrababu Naidu.
Investigators also alleged that Srihari shared animated visuals depicting the Chief Minister holding a knife, which led to the filing of the case.
Police stated that Srihari had been actively posting content denigrating the Chief Minister on social media platforms.
Further inquiry is underway to determine the extent of his involvement and whether others are linked to the creation and circulation of the content, officials said.