After 8 hours of detention, former Telangana Digital Media Director Dileep Konatham who was taken into custody by the Hyderabad Cybercrime police on Thursday was released in the early hours of Friday. Dileep was reportedly picked up from his residence without any reason given for his detention prompting widespread condemnation from Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leaders.
BRS working president K.T. Rama Rao called Dileep's arrest "illegal" and demanded his immediate release. The former director had allegedly been arrested over objectionable posts on his social media accounts.
Following his release, Dileep expressed his gratitude to the BRS leaders and supporters who had rallied for his release. “"Just got home! This liberation is due to the struggle of all of you... I have once again realized how big my Telangana force is," he said, thanking numerous BRS leaders and activists for their support.
Dileep remained defiant after his release, stating, "There is no threat of illegal cases and arrests. For the interests of Telangana, there is no stopping this fight under the leadership of KCR. Jai Telangana."
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However, BRS leader Praveen Kumar criticised the police's actions, saying that Dileep had been subjected to eight hours of interrogation over a matter to which he was not connected.
"On the other hand, many twitter handles of BJP and their proxies and other communal outfits have been brazenly promoting communal tensions by repeatedly crossing the legal redlines. (None of them were touched for the last two Days)," he added.
Former minister G. Jagadish Reddy speculated that the arrest might have been an intimidation tactic by the state government in response to the growing backlash over issues such as flood management, welfare schemes, and other emerging controversies.