Relief for Udhayanidhi Stalin | Tamil Nadu LoP will be released from custody today, state govt tells Madras HC

Relief for Udhayanidhi Stalin: The former Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister is set to walk free on Tuesday after questioning by the police, as the state government submitted in the Madras High Court that it has no intent to remand him.

Udhayanidhi was arrested at his residence in Neelankarai, Chennai, over his alleged defamatory remarks about actor Trisha Krishnan and Chief Minister Vijay at a protest meeting on the Cauvery issue in Thanjavur on Monday.

According to a PTI report, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) had filed an anticipatory bail petition immediately after police arrived at his residence.

What happened at the hearing?

When the bail petition of Udhayanidhi came up for hearing before Justice GK Illanthiraiyan, Advocate General Vijay Narayan submitted that the government has no intention of remanding the leader of the opposition and said he would be released on station bail today itself after questioning.

"He has already been arrested but will be let off after questioning. We do not intend to remand Udhayanidhi Stalin. He will be released on station bail after inquiry," Vijay Narayan told the high court.

The government submitted that the DMK leader must cooperate with the police in the investigation into the case, which involves allegations of making innuendos and outraging the modesty of a woman.

Recording the Advocate General's submissions, the court closed Udhayanidhi's bail plea.

Why was Stalin taken into custody?

Stalin was arrested for his alleged “double-meaning” remark alluding to popular actor Trisha and insulting her modesty, police said. He was booked by the police under various sections of law, including the use of obscene words and insulting the modesty of a woman.

Under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), he is accused of criminal conspiracy (Sec 61), inciting riots and promoting enmity between groups (Sec 192, 196), criminal intimidation (Sec 351), and outraging a woman’s modesty (Sec 79, 296b).

Stalin was also booked under the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Women Act for gender-based harassment, and the Information Technology Act (Sec 67) for publishing obscene material electronically.

"Did I mention anyone's name except the CM's? Then why do you think this is happening? Let the court decide," he told reporters before being escorted away by police.

The controversy erupted after Udhayanidhi, while addressing a gathering during the Cauvery protest, was interrupted by sections of the crowd chanting "Trisha, Trisha", referring to the actress. The opposition has often weaponised the rumoured relationship between Trisha Krishnan and C Joseph Vijay, the Tamil superstar who now runs the state as the chief minister.

The DMK has maintained that Udhayanidhi's remarks were misrepresented and were directed at the government's functioning, not at any individual.

(With agency inputs)