Andhra Pradesh police arrested YouTubers Raavan, also known as B. Joseph, and journalist-YouTuber K. Venkatrami Reddy (KVR) in late June and early July 2026. Raavan was arrested following an FIR filed on June 29 linked to a speech at a Dalit Christian public meeting, while KVR was booked on charges including endangering India, according to medianama.com. Raavan was granted bail on July 2 but was immediately rearrested in a separate case.
The FIR against Raavan was registered at Pithapuram police station after Jana Sena member Bojja Kumar Babu filed a complaint. The complaint accused Raavan of promoting religious enmity, intentional insult likely to provoke breach of peace, defamation, and organised crime. It alleged his speech incited caste, religious, and political tensions and disturbed public peace. Raavan’s rearrest was based on remarks made against Pawan Kalyan in 2025. KVR faced charges related to endangering India, as per medianama.com.
These arrests follow a pattern of Andhra Pradesh authorities targeting social media figures critical of political leaders, including Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan. The crackdown intensified after the state announced a social media complaint team led by Pawan Kalyan. Earlier in 2026, a stand-up comedian was also arrested for political commentary. This reflects growing scrutiny of online political expression in the region.
Raavan’s initial bail was granted by a magistrate on July 2, 2026, but his immediate rearrest highlights ongoing legal actions against dissenting voices on social media in Andhra Pradesh. The state’s approach has drawn attention to the balance between political criticism and public order enforcement.