- Udhayanidhi Stalin was released hours after his arrest over a "double-meaning" remark alluding to actor Trisha
- The Madras High Court had ordered the Tamil Nadu Police to release DMK MLA and Leader of Opposition
- Reacting strongly to Udhayanidhi's arrest, DMK cadres staged protests across the state
Nearly four hours after his arrest over his alleged "double-meaning" remark alluding to popular actor Trisha, Udhayanidhi Stalin was released from police custody.
The Madras High Court had ordered the Tamil Nadu Police to release DMK MLA and Leader of Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin after completing his questioning in connection with the case.
The High Court directed the DMK leader to cooperate with the investigation as and when required.
During the court hearing, Advocate General Vijay Narayan appearing for Thanjavur police said Udhayanidhi was taken to Thanjavur but the police do not intend to remand him to judicial custody. The state only intends to question him and release him on station bail, the Advocate general said.
Party sources said an anticipatory bail petition was filed immediately after police arrived at Udhayanidhi's Neelankarai residence for questioning him in connection with his remarks made at a protest meeting on the Cauvery issue on Monday at Thanjavur.
However, the DMK leader was subsequently arrested and taken to Thanjavur for questioning.
"Did I mention anyone's name except the Chief Minister's? (at the protest held in Thanjavur) Then why do you think this is happening? Let the court decide," Stalin told reporters before being escorted away by police.
He has charged by police under various sections of law, including the one relating to the use of obscene words and insulting the modesty of a woman.
Promoting enmity, provocation with an intent to cause riot, and criminal intimidation were among the nine sections invoked against Udhayanidhi. Provisions under the TN Prohibition of Harassment of Women Act have also been invoked, sources added.
Chief Minister's Vijay's TVK escalated its protest against Udhayanidhi's alleged offensive remark by filing complaints with both the local police and the National Commission for Women (NCW).
A police complaint was lodged at the Thanjavur East Police Station by S Bairavi, the TVK's Central District Women's Wing Organiser for Thanjavur.
The complaint alleged that when the crowd chanted "Trisha, Trisha" during the leader of the opposition's speech on the Cauvery issue on August 3, he responded with an obscene, double-meaning remark.
The complainant accused him and DMK IT wing office-bearers of intentionally degrading women, causing mental agony to the actor and women in general, and deliberately circulating a 2:39-minute video of the incident on the social media platform X to cause public unrest.
Reacting strongly to Udhayanidhi's arrest, DMK cadres staged protests across the state.
