Former DMK minister and sitting MLA Anitha R Radhakrishnan was arrested by Authoor police on Friday after the Madras High Court rejected his anticipatory bail plea, stemming from alleged defamatory remarks made against Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay during a public meeting in Athoor. The remarks, reportedly concerning the Chief Minister's demeanor in the Assembly, led to a case being registered against Radhakrishnan under sections of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita pertaining to intentional insult and public mischief. The Madras High Court, in its ruling, emphasized the necessity of respecting the Chief Minister, irrespective of their background, and Justice GK Ilanthiraiyan specifically questioned the nature of the speech delivered by a member of the legislative assembly. The arrest led to protests by DMK cadres, who reportedly blocked a road.

Former DMK minister and sitting MLA Anitha R Radhakrishnan was arrested by Authoor police on Friday after the Madras High Court rejected his anticipatory bail plea, stemming from alleged defamatory remarks made against Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay during a public meeting in Athoor. The remarks, reportedly concerning the Chief Minister's demeanor in the Assembly, led to a case being registered against Radhakrishnan under sections of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita pertaining to intentional insult and public mischief. The Madras High Court, in its ruling, emphasized the necessity of respecting the Chief Minister, irrespective of their background, and Justice GK Ilanthiraiyan specifically questioned the nature of the speech delivered by a member of the legislative assembly. The arrest led to protests by DMK cadres, who reportedly blocked a road.

Former DMK minister and sitting MLA Anitha R Radhakrishnan was arrested by Authoor police on Friday after the Madras High Court rejected his anticipatory bail plea, stemming from alleged defamatory remarks made against Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay during a public meeting in Athoor. The remarks, reportedly concerning the Chief Minister's demeanor in the Assembly, led to a case being registered against Radhakrishnan under sections of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita pertaining to intentional insult and public mischief. The Madras High Court, in its ruling, emphasized the necessity of respecting the Chief Minister, irrespective of their background, and Justice GK Ilanthiraiyan specifically questioned the nature of the speech delivered by a member of the legislative assembly. The arrest led to protests by DMK cadres, who reportedly blocked a road.

Former DMK minister and sitting MLA Anitha R Radhakrishnan was arrested on Friday after the Madras High Court rejected his anticipatory bail relating to defamatory speech against Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay.

Radhakrishnan, who serves as the DMK’s South District Secretary in Thoothukudi, was arrested by Authoor police shortly after the court dismissed the plea. The minister made the alleged defamatory remarks during a public meeting held in Authoor.

“In the state of Tamil Nadu, since 1967, people from the cinema are being voted...Whoever it may be, you have to respect the CM,” the court said, according to a LiveLaw report.

The remarks Radhakrishnan is believed to have made were reportedly about Vijay’s demeanour in the Assembly. He allegedly said that the minister seemed like a person who was trapped.

Sources say that the former minister was inspecting records at the Authoor Town Panchayat when a police team apprehended him.

He was later taken to the the office of the Thoothukudi Superintendent of Police, where Additional Superintendent of Police Arumugam questioned him.

A case was registered against Radhakrishnan under Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita's Section 352 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace) and Section 353(2) (statements conducing to public mischief).

Justice GK Ilanthiraiyan of the Madras High Court said, "Being a member of the legislative assembly, what kind of speech have you spoken? Whoever it may be, you have to respect the CM."

The arrest triggered protests by DMK cadres who reportedly blocked a road during police action.

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