NTV, 7 other media outlets booked over malicious news reports targeting Telangana woman IAS officer

Hyderabad: A criminal case has been registered against the Telugu news channel NTV–the management team of editors and reporters–and seven other digital media houses for running an alleged malicious gossip ‘news’ bulletin targeting a woman IAS officer serving in the state.

The complaint was filed by the IAS association of Telangana, headed by senior IAS officer Jayesh Ranjan.

What was in the media report?

The complaint filed by the IAS association stated that on January 8, NTV published and telecast a news report that was completely false, fabricated and baseless. It was regarding a woman member of the IAS Officers Association.

In the broadcast, malicious and unsubstantiated allegations were made against a serving IAS woman member, insinuating an alleged personal relationship with a political executive and attempting to link her official postings to such baseless claims.

Character assassination and trauma to IAS fraternity

As per the complaint, the broadcast, which irresponsibly referred to so-called family discomfort, alleged phone conversations, is entirely fabricated, defamatory and devoid of any factual verification.

The reckless way these allegations were aired, without any authentication, resulted in character assassination and harassment of the woman IAS officer discharging her duties with integrity and professionalism.

The insinuations also caused harm, reputational damage and trauma to the IAS fraternity in Telangana.

The insinuations made regarding the officer’s postings, where it was falsely claimed that she was given ‘comfort postings’ over a short period, which not only grossly misrepresented established administrative processes but also sought to deliberately undermine the credibility of the civil services, the complaint said.

News report focused on defaming officer's career

While the NTV telecast did not directly name the woman IAS officer, it made oblique references, clearly pointing towards the woman IAS officer’s previous postings, which can be used to identify her.

“The primary and malicious intent of the news was to target the woman IAS officer personally, assassinate her character and subject her to public ridicule. The accused channel, in a flagrant violation of the woman IAS officer’s privacy, broadcast her personal details such as her previous three postings with an ulterior motive to reveal her identity as no other woman IAS officer served in those three positions during the last two years,” the complaint said.

“The use of the information related to her previous postings in conjunction with the false allegations was calculated to sensationalise the news and draw specific attention to the officer’s identity. The specific publication of her postings has stripped her of anonymity and right to privacy, exposing her to potential danger and unwarranted public scrutiny,” the complaint added.

Further, the manner in which the content was presented was highly objectionable and damaged the reputation of the officer.

Personal attacks hidden as news report

The broadcast utilised sexually coloured remarks, double-meaning expressions and insinuations. By projecting that the woman IAS officer received ‘comfortable postings’ through her acquaintance and influence, the accused has resorted to indecent representation, effectively questioning the IAS officer’s moral character and outraging her modesty as a woman.

The narrative was constructed to scandalise her personal life rather than to report on any factual administrative issue.

Fake reports were made viral on social media

The harassment did not end with the telecast.

The content, including the unsubstantiated allegations, was deliberately made viral on multiple social media platforms, including You Tube and X. This widespread circulation has subjected the woman officer to cyber-stalking and online harassment, causing her immense mental trauma, humiliation and fear.

The other publication who are facing criminal charges are:

Telugu Scribe

MR Media

Prime9 Telangana

PVNEWS

Signal Times

Volga Times

Mirror TV

TNews Telugu

The actions of NTV, its management, editors, reporters and anchors and the associated social media handlers constitute a concerted attack on the dignity and outraging the modesty of the woman officer, said the complaint.

A case has been registered under Cr. No. 07/2026, under sections 75, 78, 79, 351(1), 352(2) BNS.