The family of Telugu YouTuber and travel vlogger Bayya Sunny Yadav says that he was detained at the Chennai International Airport. Sunny, a content creator from Telangana’s Suryapet district, had posted videos of his recent trip to Pakistan.
While some reports stated that he was arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), a source from within the NIA told TNM that he was most likely picked up by Telangana’s counter intelligence. The state police have not issued any statement regarding the same.
NIA has so far arrested 11 individuals across states like Punjab, Haryana, Gujarat, and Rajasthan for investigation.
Yadav is also under investigation for his alleged involvement in promoting illegal betting apps. Multiple FIRs have been filed against him in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. One such case, registered at Nuthankal Police Station in Suryapet on March 5, led authorities to issue a lookout circular against him while he was overseas.
Speaking to local channels, Sunny’s father Bayya Ravinder confirmed his son’s detention and revealed that Central Special Branch officials had recently visited their residence, reviewed documents, and questioned the family regarding his activities. He said that on May 29, unidentified individuals also took Sunny’s friend Cherry into custody from their home.
“Sunny has no connection with terrorists. He is a true patriot who went to Pakistan purely as a biker and travel vlogger,” Ravinder said. He also said that Sunny had returned from Pakistan even before the Pahalgam attack, which has been cited as a point of concern in national security discussions. 25 Indians and one Nepali citizen were attacked by terrorists on April 22 in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam town.
“We want to know why and by whom my son has been taken. If needed, I am ready to cooperate fully with authorities. But they must inform us of his whereabouts. If not, we will take the legal route,” Ravinder added.