New Delhi, 15 June 2021: Welcoming the release of journalist Ganji Raghu working with web portal ToliVelugu on conditional bail, the IJU demanded that all charges against him be dropped as it was a case of harassment and vendetta. Raghu was arrested by Mattampalli police of Suryapet district of Telangana, after four months of an FIR being lodged against him.

Raghu was seen on CCTV footage being forced into a car by unidentified men on June 3. The Suryapet police later said he was picked up by its personnel for his alleged involvement in a riot situation and related violations at Gurrambodu Tanda under Mattampally police limits in February.

In a statement, IJU President and former Member, Press Council of India, Geetartha Pathak and IJU Secretary General and International Federation of Journalists Vice President Sabina Inderjit said that while the union welcomes his bail, all charges against him must be dropped as Raghu was  arrested for his critical journalistic views. It is surprising that the Telangana police arrested him after four months of lodging a FIR and urged the authorities to follow the Supreme court's directions on upholding of rights of journalists and ensure their protection as given in the recent Vinod Dua case.