Angry with The Hindu for having publicised >a recent meeting he had with a well-known Hyderabad religious figure, Andhra Pradesh Director General of Police V. Dinesh Reddy has orchestrated the filing of an FIR against S. Nagesh Kumar, Resident Editor (AP) of The Hindu, claiming our news report was published “with intent to cause fear to the public and thereby to induce the public to commit breach of peace and public harmony.”

The Panjagutta police station has registered an FIR under a section of the IPC dealing with forgery, another dealing with inducing the commission of an offence against the State or another community, and also under the Police Incitement to Disaffection Act of 1922.

Needless to say, these charges are baseless, and we will fight them. They represent a clear attempt by the DGP to use the police to try and intimidate the media in general and The Hindu in particular.

The Hindu takes its responsibilities as a leading national newspaper very seriously. We also take the freedom of the press very seriously. We would like to assure our readers and well-wishers that we will not be intimidated by this kind of misuse of police powers.

Siddharth Varadarajan

Editor,

The Hindu