Chennai: Tamil Nadu Police arrested DMK MLA and former minister Anitha R. Radhakrishnan Friday after Madras High Court’s dismissal of his anticipatory bail petition in a case involving alleged defamatory remarks against Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay.
Radhakrishnan was taken into custody from his residence in Thoothukudi. In a dramatic turn of events, DMK workers surrounded the police personnel, trying to prevent them from taking him away.
The Tiruchendur MLA had, during a public welfare programme and birth anniversary event for former Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi in Authoor on 20 June, made allegedly inflammatory remarks against Vijay. A case was registered by Authoor Police in Thoothukudi, based on a complaint by functionaries of the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK).
Radhakrishnan’s remarks were linked to actress Trisha’s social media post on CM Vijay’s birthday. He had mocked Vijay’s presence in the assembly, saying that he appeared “trapped”. “Vijay wonders how happy I was at home with an actress. Now I am trapped here,” he had said.
Radhakrishnan has been booked under relevant sections, including those linked to intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace, and statements intended to promote enmity or ill-will.
Justice G.K. Ilanthiraiyan of the Madras High Court dismissed the anticipatory bail petition filed by the former DMK Minister. “In state of Tamil Nadu, since 1967 people from the cinema are being voted.. Whoever it may be, you have to respect the Chief Minister,” he noted.
After reading a transcript of the speech produced by the prosecution, the judge asked, “How can the former Minister, also a sitting MLA, speak in such a language? He is not a layman, should he not give respect to the post of Chief Minister?” The court observed that as an elected representative, one must maintain respect for the office of the Chief Minister.
Radhakrishnan had argued that the case was politically motivated.
DMK leaders have condemned the arrest. Former chief minister M.K. Stalin took to social media to question the urgency to arrest someone who was conducting inspection in his constituency. Saying that the arrogance will lead to destruction, he wrote on X, “Why didn’t the ‘pure force government’, which has so far not taken any action against the Srivaikuntam TVK MLA over the complaint made by a woman who made gang-rape allegations, show the same urgency in that case?”
He added that the TVK government has not done anything beneficial for the people who voted it to power, and the CM is “trying to protect his chair through horse-trading and thinks he can simply pass time by arresting opposition members who criticise him”. DMK MP Kanimozhi also condemned the arrest, saying that the party would never bow down to such oppressive tactics.
Earlier this week, TVK government requested Governor R.N. Ravi Arlekar to accord sanction to investigate and prosecute former ministers Anitha R. Radhakrishnan and V. Senthil Balaji in connection with money laundering cases against them by the Enforcement Directorate.
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