Controversial YouTuber Pachalkuri Joseph alias Ravan has been arrested and sent to judicial custody for 14 days under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and other sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for allegedly promoting Maoist ideology and encouraging armed rebellion, a senior Andhra Pradesh police officer said.
According to police, Gannavaram police in Krishna district on Saturday registered a criminal case against Ravan, who runs the ‘Prashna’ YouTube channel, and arrested him on Sunday.
“He was produced before an additional civil court in Gannavaram on Sunday evening. The court remanded him to judicial custody till July 18,” a senior police official privy to the information said, adding that he was sent to Nellore Central Jail on Monday morning.
The case under several departments of BNS and UAPA was registered after a complaint by JanaSena Party leader Garikapati Siva Sankar, the police officer said.
It was alleged in his complaint that Joseph uploaded a video on the ‘Prashna’ YouTube channel on November 25, 2025, praising the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist), spreading its ideology among the public and expressing support for the armed revolution, the above-mentioned officer said.
The YouTuber also allegedly expressed his support for Maoist leader Hidma and distributed the video widely across social media platforms. The complaint alleged that such content could influence youth towards extremist ideology.
According to the police, multiple provisions under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Act were invoked, including Sections 147 (waging or attempting to wage war against the Government of India), 148 (conspiracy to wage war), 152 (acts alleged to endanger the sovereignty, unity and integrity of India), 192 (provocation and inflammatory speeches intended to incite violence), and 197 (1) (d) (use of electronic or public platforms). Publishing content that harms national safety), and 353(1)(2) (spreading hostility, hatred, and panic among various segments of society by spreading rumors or false information).
In addition, the police also invoked Sections 13 and 39 of the Anti-Terrorism Act, alleging illegal activities affecting India’s sovereignty and providing support to a banned terrorist organisation.
Meanwhile, Ravan’s wife Anusha told reporters in Hyderabad that the police had falsely implicated her husband in the case. She alleged that false propaganda was carried out against her husband through distorted videos.
She demanded that cases of this kind be filed first against Jana Sena leaders, including Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, who she alleged made provocative remarks.
