In a decision that cuts to the heart of press freedom and the responsibilities of live journalism, the Supreme Court has granted bail to Telugu journalist Kommineni Srinivasa Rao, who found himself behind bars after a panelist on his live show uttered controversial remarks about women from Amaravati.
The Court, helmed by Justices Prashant Kumar Mishra and Manmohan, zeroed in on one essential fact: Rao didn’t make the statement. He was the anchor, not the speaker. That distinction proved critical.
Rao, a 70-year-old veteran of the newsroom and host of Live with KSR on Sakshi TV, had been arrested by Andhra Pradesh Police after one of his panelists veered into defamatory territory during a broadcast aired on June 6. While Rao didn’t stop the comment—and was even seen laughing—he also didn’t endorse, echo, or utter it himself.
The judges were clear: liability can’t be stretched to silence a journalist merely for what a guest says in the chaos of live debate. “Journalistic freedom,” they said, “is not a luxury, but a necessary shield for democratic discourse.” They acknowledged the power and pitfalls of live television but refused to let the anchor’s seat become a jail cell.
Still, the Court issued a caution. Rao must tread carefully from here on—no defamatory statements, directly or by proxy, during his broadcasts. Watchful, not mute; responsible, not afraid.
With that, bail was granted, and the curtain lifted—for now—on a case that sparked a national conversation about where journalism ends and liability begins.
