Dmk Mla Anitha Radhakrishnan Arrest Court Bail Remarks Chief Minister Vijay

Former Minister and sitting DMK MLA Anitha R Radhakrishnan was arrested by the Thoothukudi police 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.

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.

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.

Arun Janardhanan is an experienced and authoritative Tamil Nadu correspondent for The Indian Express. Based in the state, his reporting combines ground-level access with long-form clarity, offering readers a nuanced understanding of South India’s political, judicial, and cultural life - work that reflects both depth of expertise and sustained authority. Expertise Geographic Focus: As Tamil Nadu Correspondent focused on politics, crime, faith and disputes, Janardhanan has been also reporting extensively on Sri Lanka, producing a decade-long body of work on its elections, governance, and the aftermath of the Easter Sunday bombings through detailed stories and interviews. Key Coverage Areas: State Politics and Governance: Close reporting on the DMK and AIADMK, the emergence of new political actors such as actor Vijay’s TVK, internal party churn, Centre–State tensions, and the role of the Governor. Legal and Judicial Affairs: Consistent coverage of the Madras High Court, including religion-linked disputes and cases involving state authority and civil liberties. Investigations: Deep-dive series on landmark cases and unresolved questions, including the Tirupati encounter and the Rajiv Gandhi assassination, alongside multiple investigative series from Tamil Nadu. Culture, Society, and Crisis: Reporting on cultural organisations, language debates, and disaster coverage—from cyclones to prolonged monsoon emergencies—anchored in on-the-ground detail. His reporting has been recognised with the Ramnath Goenka Award for Excellence in Journalism. Beyond journalism, Janardhanan is also a screenwriter; his Malayalam feature film Aarkkariyam was released in 2021. ... Read More