YouTuber Raavan booked under UAPA; remanded to 14-day judicial custody in AP

THe Andhra Pradesh law on mon sent YouTuber Bachalakuri chief joseph assumed name Raavan to Nellore telephone exchange prison, hours after a local court in Gannavaram remanded him to 14-day judicial custody in a case registered against him under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and other sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), people familiar with the matter said.The police at Gannavaram police station in Krishna district registered a criminal case against Raavan, who runs the YouTube channel “Prashna,” on Saturday and arrested him on Sunday.“He was produced before the additional junior civil judge court in Gannavaram on Sunday evening. After arguments continued until around 10pm, the court remanded him to judicial custody until July 18,” a senior police officer requesting anonymity said.“The case was registered following a complaint lodged by Garikapati Siva Sankar, a Jana Sena Party leader from Gannavaram and director of the Andhra Pradesh State Road Development Corporation,” the officer said.Sankar alleged that Raavan uploaded a video on November 25, 2025, praising the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist), propagating its ideology among public and expressing support for armed revolution.He alleged that Raavan expressed support for Maoist leader Hidma and widely circulated the video through social media platforms. The complaint claimed that such content could influence young people toward extremist ideology, the officer said.Also Read:Prakash Raj questions Pawan Kalyan over activist Prashna Ravan’s 5th arrest in days after 4th bail: ‘This is not done’Police invoked multiple provisions of the BNS, including sections 147 (waging or attempting to wage war against the Government of India), 148 (conspiracy to wage war), 152 (acts allegedly endangering the sovereignty, unity and integrity of India), 192 (provocation and inflammatory speeches intended to incite violence), 197(1)(d) (using electronic or public platforms to disseminate content prejudicial to national integrity), and 353(1)(2) (promoting enmity, hatred and panic among different sections of society by spreading rumours or false information).In addition, police invoked UAPA sections 13 and 39, alleging unlawful activities affecting India’s sovereignty and providing support to a banned terrorist organisation.Raavan’s wife, Anusha, said that the police falsely implicated her husband in the case.She demanded that cases of this nature should first be filed against the Jana Sena Party leaders, including deputy chief minister Pawan Kalyan, who she alleged had made provocative statements. She also appealed to chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu and said if the intention was to eliminate Raavan, the entire family should be “killed at once”.