The Andhra Pradesh Crime Investigation Department (CID) has filed a case against TDP chief Nara Chandrababu Naidu, his son Nara Lokesh, and others for allegedly spreading false information about the Land Titling Act. This action was taken following an order from the Election Commission of India.
The case was registered at the CID Police Station in Mangalagiri under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The CID received a complaint from the YSR Congress Party, which alleged that the TDP was conducting a fake campaign to discredit Chief Minister Y.S Jagan Mohan Reddy.
According to the complaint, voters were receiving IVR calls with messages urging them not to vote for Y.S Jagan Mohan Reddy and instead support Chandrababu Naidu. The messages claimed that the Land Titling Act would lead to voters losing their wealth and land records.
The YSRCP accused the TDP of spreading false information with the intention of portraying Y.S Jagan Mohan Reddy as a land grabber. The content of the IVR calls was deemed a violation of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) as it spread misinformation and made personal attacks on political rivals.
The MCC guidelines prohibit the dissemination of unverified allegations and restrict criticism of policies, programs, and records. The complainant requested that the ECI take action against the TDP, stop the campaign, and seek explanations from the telecom operators involved in facilitating the calls.