Published Jul 03, 2026 | 2:18 PM ⚊ Updated Jul 03, 2026 | 2:23 PM
Anitha R Radhakrishnan with former CM MK Stalin. (Facebook)
Synopsis: Tamil Nadu police arrested former Minister and DMK MLA Anitha R Radhakrishnan after the Madras High Court rejected his anticipatory bail plea in a case over his alleged derogatory remarks against Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay. The court declined to grant him protection from arrest, observing that an elected representative should show respect for the constitutional office of the Chief Minister.
Tamil Nadu police arrested former Minister and DMK MLA Anitha R Radhakrishnan on Friday, 3 July, after the Madras High Court dismissed his anticipatory bail petition in a case over his alleged derogatory remarks against Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay.
Radhakrishnan, who represents the Tiruchendur Assembly constituency in Thoothukudi district, was picked up from Aathur in Salem district and taken to the office of the Thoothukudi Superintendent of Police for questioning.
Officials said he would undergo a medical examination before being produced before a magistrate.
The case was registered after Selvam, a functionary of the ruling TVK, lodged a complaint with the Aathur police alleging that Radhakrishnan had made derogatory and defamatory remarks against Vijay during a DMK meeting in Aathur near Tiruchendur on 20 June.
The meeting had been organised to mark the birth anniversary of former Chief Minister M Karunanidhi.
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Radhakrishnan approached the Madras High Court on Thursday seeking anticipatory bail. The petition came up for hearing before Justice GK Ilanthiraiyan.
Counsel for Radhakrishnan argued that the issue, at best, amounted to defamation and that the police should not have registered a criminal case. Instead, the matter should have been pursued only through a defamation complaint. Counsel also sought protection from arrest.
Opposing the plea, the prosecution argued that the petitioner was not an ordinary citizen but a seven-time MLA who should have exercised restraint while addressing a public gathering.
The prosecution contended that failure to register a case could have triggered a confrontation between political supporters on both sides and, therefore, anticipatory bail should not be granted.
The court rejected the plea, taking exception to the nature of the remarks and emphasising the need to respect the constitutional office of the Chief Minister.
“Since 1967, Tamil Nadu has largely been governed by leaders from the film industry. We are the ones who voted and elected them. The petitioner is not an ordinary citizen but an elected MLA. Should he not show respect for the office of the Chief Minister? Why should an MLA use such language?” the judge observed while rejecting the plea.
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The arrest has triggered strong political reactions from the DMK. Senior party leader and Thoothukkudi MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi condemned the arrest, calling it an act of political vendetta.
Former Chief Minister and DMK President MK Stalin similarly accused the ruling TVK government of using the police machinery as a “diversion tactic” to target opposition leaders.
He alleged that the government had acted with unusual urgency in arresting Radhakrishnan while he was engaged in constituency work, but had failed to act with similar urgency in serious criminal cases, including complaints related to crimes against women.
Stalin further accused the government of misusing state power to silence political criticism and warned that “arrogance leads to destruction.”
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
