Latest news with #POA
The Hindu
5 hours ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
HC reserves order in Revanth Reddy's plea to quash criminal case proceedings
Justice Moushumi Bhattacharya of Telagnana High Court on Friday reserved orders in a criminal petition filed by Telagnana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy seeking to quash a case registered against him under the Prevention of Atrocities against Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Act. The case was registered by Gachchibowli police of Cyberabad against Revanth Reddy in 2019 following a complaint lodged by one N. Peddi Raju alleging that Mr. Reddy and others abused him in the name of his caste. Mr. Revanth Reddy was the third accused in the case. He was MP of Malkajgiri then. His sibling and another person were the first and second accused in the same case. Public Prosecutor Palle Nagesshwara Rao, presenting contentions before the bench, said that none of the eight witnesses summoned by the investigating officer deposed evidence that Mr. Revanth Reddy was present when the alleged offence (abusing in the name of caste) was committed. The case was pending for trial before the Special Sessions Judge for Trial of Cases under the POA against SCs and STs Act-cum-VII Additional District Sessions Judge of Ranga Reddy at L.B. Nagar. Mr. Revanth Reddy filed the criminal petition seeking a direction to quash the proceedings of the case.
Business Wire
4 days ago
- Business
- Business Wire
Pacific Office Automation Named 2025 MSP Partner of the Year by Arctic Wolf
BEAVERTON, Ore.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Pacific Office Automation (POA), has been named Arctic Wolf MSP Partner of the Year for 2025. This recognition highlights the company's exceptional leadership in cybersecurity, outstanding service delivery, and commitment to helping mutual customers drive innovation and achieve stronger security outcomes. 'POA is honored to win this award for the second time! POA takes cyber security seriously not only for our company but for all our customers that work with POA. Arctic Wolf has been a great partner to work with over the years and continues to help Pacific Office Automation and its customers reduce cyber risk,' said Chris Miller, VP at Pacific Office Automation. The Arctic Wolf Partner of the Year Awards recognize elite partners who have demonstrated outstanding leadership in helping organizations improve their security operations through Arctic Wolf's portfolio of solutions. Now in their eighth year, the honors celebrate top-performing companies that have shown excellence in security practice, executive alignment, revenue growth, and service. 'This year's award winners represent the very best of the Arctic Wolf partner community,' said Will Briggs, Senior Vice President, Global Channels, Arctic Wolf. 'Each of these organizations has demonstrated exceptional commitment to our shared mission to end cyber risk, helping customers navigate an increasingly complex threat landscape with confidence and resilience. We're proud to recognize their achievements and celebrate the critical role they play in driving meaningful security outcomes.' As organizations worldwide face an increasingly complex threat landscape and a persistent cybersecurity talent shortage, over 10,000 organizations globally now rely on the Arctic Wolf Aurora Platform to help end cyber risk. Built on an open-XDR architecture and powered by Alpha AI™ technologies, the Aurora Platform is designed to deliver positive security outcomes at scale. Each week, it ingests, parses, enriches, and analyzes over eight trillion security events—transforming overwhelming volumes of data into an average of just one actionable alert per customer per day. About Pacific Office Automation Pacific Office Automation has been in business since 1976, and over time evolved into a leader in Managed IT and office technology solutions. Currently officed in 12 states with just under 1,500 employees, POA continues to grow because of great partners and the customer experience it offers. They handle IT for small- to medium-sized businesses all over the nation with a primary focus to help solve customers' business problems. Pacific Office Automation has taken the guesswork out of choosing technology to make your office function most efficiently. Partnered with best-in-class manufacturers of technology offerings in every aspect, Pacific Office Automation created a single source solution to make technology work for you.
Daily Record
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Daily Record
Scotland's jails at 'breaking point' as prison officers demand urgent action on overcrowding
Scotland's jails are at 'breaking point' as prison officers today demand urgent action on 'dangerous' levels of overcrowding. A damning new report from the prison warder's union has laid bare staff fears after jail numbers reached record levels. Almost all prison officers (over 95%) say rising prisoner numbers make our jails more dangerous - while more than 80% say their prison can no longer cope. Scotland has one of the highest incarceration rates in Europe, with 8,110 people behind bars in the prison estate this week. Phil Fairlie, Assistant Secretary of the Prison Officers' Association (POA), which has around 4,000 members across the country, said: 'This report is the clearest evidence from our members on the frontline that Scotland's prisons are at breaking point. 'It is POA members who are expected to work in this pressure cooker atmosphere every single day. They are doing a remarkable job in incredibly challenging circumstances, but without the correct support and additional staffing something has to give, they are not superhuman and it will take its toll eventually. 'The Prison Officers' Association will be sending a copy of this report to every MSP, MP, The Scottish Government and the Scottish Prison Service. We are urging those in positions of power and influence to listen to our members and take immediate action to end the overcrowding crisis.' Hundreds of Scottish prisoners were released early in recent months in a bid to ease the pressure on packed jails after the population hit a peak of 8,361 in May last year. The problem has been linked to longer sentences being imposed by the courts, a rise in domestic abuse and sex crimes and convictions for historic sexual abuse. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. The Prisoners (Early Release) (Scotland) Bill was passed under emergency procedures last year, allowing short-term inmates serving less than four years were set free after serving 40% of their sentence as opposed to the previous 50%. But the POA report, which surveyed more than 500 prison officers, shows more than 68% of staff think current levels of overcrowding are the worst they have seen in their career. When asked about the steps being taken to accommodate increasing prisoner numbers, more than 55% of prison officers said prisoners not ready for release are being freed early. More than 91% said overcrowding increases tensions in Scotland's prisons, leaving prisoners locked up in their cells for longer and reducing prisoner access to exercise and fresh air. They said it provided fewer opportunities to engage in education or rehabilitation projects, while stoking rising levels of substance misuse and resulting in more incidents of violence against staff and prisoners. More than 86% of warders said the prisoner levels were contributing to rising sickness absence levels in staff and more than 94% said it current conditions meant they would be unable to work until their normal pension age of 68. In February, the Governor of Scotland's biggest jail, Barlinnie admitted he would 'struggle' to survive life inside the overcrowded prison he manages, describing it as a 'pressure cooker'. In April, inspectors described parts of the prison as being in a 'wretchedly poor state' while operating at 30% over capacity. HM Inspectorate of Prisons for Scotland (HMIPS) 'strongly urged' the Scottish government to tackle overcrowding as a priority. The Scottish government has committed to building a new prison to replace Barlinnie on the outskirts of the city. It is due to be completed in 2028 at a cost nearly near £1bn. One unnamed prison officer said: "Too many prisoners are caught in a revolving door. They're out one week and back the next. "Prison has become a warehousing business where slogans about changing lives are ironic because the horrors caused by conditions of overcrowding do change lives - for the worse.' POA chiefs were set to hold crunch talks with MSPs on the report at a meeting at the Scottish Parliament today. Mr Fairlie said: 'We need urgent action to address the overcrowding crisis and we welcome the Prisoner Early Release Bill as an early step. But until these measures are having a meaningful long term impact, we need more staff, an improved estate, and a recognition that our Prison Officers are not superhuman and able to work under such conditions until they are almost 70.' A Scottish Prison Service spokeswoman said: 'Our staff are our greatest asset. Every day, prison officers do outstanding work in the most challenging circumstances, and it is crucial that their voice is heard. 'This important report demonstrates the risk they face from a rising and complex prison population, the impact this has on their health and wellbeing and on their ability to do their jobs effectively. 'We need to see a reduction in our population, so that our staff can fully support people in our care, to reduce their risk of reoffending, and help build the safer communities we all want to see.' Justice Secretary Angela Constance said: 'Like the rest of the UK, Scotland's prison population has risen significantly in recent times and has become increasingly complex. We have taken a number of actions to address this and to support the dedicated staff who do outstanding work in our prisons day in, day out. I am grateful for their commitment and dedication. 'We continue to work with the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) and wider justice system to manage the prison population and have increased investment to the SPS resource budget by 10% to £481.5 million in 2025/26.'
The Hindu
10-06-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Arrested journalist Kommineni Srinivasa Rao taken to Guntur govt. hospital for health checkup
Kommineni Srinivasa Rao, senior journalist working in Sakshi TV, who was arrested on alleged broadcasting of a controversial allegation on women fraternity, was brought to the Guntur Government General Hospital (GGH) for medical check-up on Tuesday (June 10, 2025). He was arrested in Hyderabad on Monday (June 9) around noon and shifted to Nallapadu Police Station in Guntur by midnight. In the morning on Tuesday (June 10), he was brought to hospital for the health checkup, before production him in the court. The criminal case was filed on him at Thullur Police Station but he was brought to Nallapadu Police Station to avoid unforseen problems. The police in Guntur told The Hindu that he would be produced before Mangalagiri Court for further proceedings. Cases have been registered against the accused including Mr. Krishnam Raju, Mr. Srinivasa Rao and Sakshi TV management under Section 3(1)(u) of SC and ST Prevention of Atrocities Act (POA) Act, 1989, Section 67 of IT Act-2000-2008, Section 79 (Word, gesture or an act intended to outrage the modesty of women), Section 196 (Promoting enmity between different groups) and other charges including 353(2), 299, 356(2), 61(1) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). While Mr. Srinivasa Rao was arrested, the police are still on the hunt for Mr. Krishnam Raju, who is absconding. The police informed that Mr. Raju, who allegedly made derogatory remarks during the TV debate, escaped from his residence and will be arrested as soon as possible.
The Hindu
09-06-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Senior journalist arrested over controversial debate
The Andhra Pradesh police on Monday (June 9, 2025) arrested Kommineni Srinivasa Rao, a senior journalist working with Sakshi TV, at his residence in Hyderabad and brought him to Guntur. The arrest was made based on a police complaint lodged by Kambampati Sireesha, a leader of Amaravati Capital Farmers' Dalit JAC and a resident of Rayapudi in Thullur mandal. 'During a live talk show with KSR programme in Sakshi TV, journalist V.V.R. Krishnam Raju and Kommineni Srinivasa Rao made obscene and malicious comments that Amaravati is not the capital of gods but of prostitutes and that only AIDS patients live there. These remarks, apparently made with the encouragement of the Sakshi management, have deeply hurt the self-respect of the women of Amaravati, particularly Dalit women,' Ms. Sireesha alleged in her complaint. The police mentioned in the FIR that, 'This is a case of insulting the modesty of women, promoting and creating enmity between different groups, with deliberate and malicious intention of outraging the religious feelings of citizens of India and defaming the women with criminal conspiracy. It promotes the feelings of enmity against members of the SCs or STs by transmitting through Sakshi TV channel that occurred on June 6, 2025.' Cases have been registered against the accused including Mr. Krishnam Raju, Mr. Srinivasa Rao and Sakshi TV management under Section 3(1)(u) of SC and ST Prevention of Atrocities Act (POA) Act, 1989, Section 67 of IT Act-2000-2008, Section 79 (Word, gesture or an act intended to outrage the modesty of women), Section 196 (Promoting enmity between different groups) and other charges including 353(2), 299, 356(2), 61(1) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). While Mr. Srinivasa Rao was arrested, the police are still on the hunt for Mr. Krishnam Raju, who is absconding. The police refused to divulge more details in view of security reasons.
