Ethanol company sues Andhra farmer over pollution claims, seeks ₹1 crore compensation

A farmer from Gandepalli village, near Keesara in the NTR district, has been sued for damages and a perpetual injunction by an ethanol company for speaking to the media about the pollution allegedly caused by the company.

A suit was instituted against M. Muralidhar Reddy by Sentini BioProducts Pvt. Ltd. on July 6, 2026, with requests that the farmer be directed to issue a public apology, pay an amount of ₹1 crore to the company as compensation for loss of reputation, mental agony, and legal expenses incurred, and grant relief in the form of a perpetual injunction restraining the farmer from making any “misleading and malicious” statements in the future. The suit is in the pre-trial process as of Tuesday (September 22).

Stories about these protests have previously been published in The Hindu.