Tamil Nadu MLA's "Authoritarian" Arrest Sharpens DMK vs TVK Showdown

DMK MLA Anitha Radhakrishnan was arrested in Thoothukudi district on Friday, hours after the Madras High Court refused to grant him anticipatory bail in a case alleging defamatory and abusive remarks against Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Joseph Vijay.

The Tiruchendur MLA was taken into custody by the police and underwent a medical examination before being questioned by investigators. It was not immediately clear whether he would be remanded to judicial custody or released on bail by the local court.

The case stems from a controversial speech delivered on June 20 in which Radhakrishnan allegedly made derogatory remarks against the Chief Minister, including comments linked to a birthday photograph shared by actor Trisha featuring Vijay.

Police registered the FIR on June 23 under Sections 352 and 353 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, relating to intentional insult and promoting enmity.

According to police sources, Radhakrishnan failed to appear before investigators despite being served two summons. He subsequently approached the Madras High Court seeking anticipatory bail, which was rejected, paving the way for his arrest.

The arrest is the first major political action taken against an opposition leader since the ruling TVK came to power, and is expected to further sharpen the political confrontation between the government and the opposition DMK.

The DMK has termed the arrest an "overreach" by the government and alleged it is an attempt to divert attention from what it calls the real issues confronting the state, including rising crimes against women and the opposition's allegations of "horse-trading" by the ruling TVK to lure legislators from rival parties. The TVK has denied those allegations.

DMK president and former Chief Minister MK Stalin strongly criticised the arrest, accusing the government of acting with undue haste while the MLA's legal options were still being pursued. In a statement on X, Stalin alleged that Chief Minister Vijay was running a "cinema-style police empire" and questioned why similar urgency was not shown in acting on a complaint by a gang rape survivor against a TVK MLA from Srivaikundam. He also accused the government of failing to curb crimes against women while focusing on admitting legislators from rival parties, adding that if defamation alone warranted arrest, "many of today's ministers" would also have to face action.

DMK MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi also condemned the arrest, alleging that the opposition legislator had been taken into custody in an "authoritarian manner" while inspecting development works in his constituency. She asserted that the DMK would never bow to what she described as such oppressive tactics.

The TVK government has not yet issued an official response to the opposition's criticism. Sources deny political vendetta and that police are going by the rule book.