Former minister and sitting DMK MLA Anitha R Radhakrishnan was arrested by the Thoothukudi police on Friday after the Madras High Court refused to grant him anticipatory bail in a case registered over his alleged derogatory remarks against Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay.
Radhakrishnan, who represents Tiruchendur constituency and serves as the DMK’s South District Secretary in Thoothukudi, was arrested by Authoor police shortly after the court dismissed his plea.
The complaint alleged that Radhakrishnan had made defamatory and provocative remarks against Chief Minister Vijay while addressing a DMK public meeting at Authoor on June 20.
The judge expressed displeasure over the remarks and asked how a former Minister and sitting MLA could use such disparaging language against an elected Chief Minister.
Should he not give respect to the post of the Chief Minister?” the judge observed during the hearing.
Former minister and sitting DMK MLA Anitha R Radhakrishnan was arrested by the Thoothukudi police on Friday after the Madras High Court refused to grant him anticipatory bail in a case registered over his alleged derogatory remarks against Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay.
Radhakrishnan, who represents Tiruchendur constituency and serves as the DMK’s South District Secretary in Thoothukudi, was arrested by Authoor police shortly after the court dismissed his plea. Police sources said he was inspecting records at the Authoor Town Panchayat when a team led by Authoor Police Inspector and team apprehended him. He was later taken to the office of the Thoothukudi Superintendent of Police, where Additional Superintendent of Police Arumugam questioned him.
The case was registered by Authoor police on June 23, based on a complaint lodged by TVK’s Authoor Urban Secretary S Selvam. The complaint alleged that Radhakrishnan had made defamatory and provocative remarks against Chief Minister Vijay while addressing a DMK public meeting at Authoor on June 20. The police booked him under Sections 352, dealing with intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace, and 353(2), relating to statements made with intent to create enmity, hatred or ill will between different groups, of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
During the speech, Radhakrishnan allegedly mocked the chief minister’s conduct in the Assembly and made a personal remark linking him to his past association with an actress, suggesting that he appeared uncomfortable in public office and happier in his earlier private life.
Earlier in the day, Justice G K Ilanthiraiyan of the Madras High Court dismissed Radhakrishnan’s anticipatory bail petition after reading the transcript of his speech, produced by the prosecution. The judge expressed displeasure over the remarks and asked how a former Minister and sitting MLA could use such disparaging language against an elected Chief Minister.
“He is not a layman. Should he not give respect to the post of the Chief Minister?” the judge observed during the hearing.
Radhakrishnan’s counsel argued that even if the speech was disparaging, it did not attract the offences invoked by the police. He contended that the remarks did not prima facie show any intent to create enmity between groups.
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The government counsel opposed the plea, saying the remarks were highly objectionable and could have led to a clash between DMK and ruling TVK cadres had the police not acted promptly after the public meeting.
Following the arrest, DMK cadres led by Corporation Mayor Jegan Periyasamy staged a protest outside the SP office. Another group blocked a road at Authoor and argued with police personnel, condemning the police action against the sitting MLA.
