The Tamil Nadu opposition leader was arrested and questioned by police in connection with an alleged offensive remark directed at actor Trisha during a public meeting, but was released after the Madras High Court ordered his release on station bail.
Udhayanidhi Stalin, the DMK party's Leader of Opposition in Tamil Nadu, spent approximately four hours in police custody on Tuesday before being released following a court intervention. The politician was taken into custody by Thanjavur police for questioning regarding remarks he allegedly made at a public gathering on the Cauvery water issue on Monday. When a crowd chanted an actor's name during his speech, Stalin reportedly responded with a double-meaning comment that police have characterized as obscene.
The Madras High Court ordered Stalin's release after the state's Advocate General confirmed that authorities intended only to question him on station bail rather than seek judicial custody. The court directed the DMK leader to cooperate with investigators as required during the ongoing inquiry. Stalin maintained his innocence before being taken away, questioning why the incident was being treated as serious given that he had not named anyone specifically except the Chief Minister during his speech.
Police have invoked nine legal sections against Stalin, including provisions related to obscene language, insulting a woman's modesty, promoting enmity, and criminal intimidation. Additionally, regulations under the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Women Act have been applied. The complaint was filed by S Bairavi, an official from Chief Minister Vijay's TVK party's women's wing, who alleged that the remarks caused mental distress to the actor and women generally. The complainant also accused the DMK of deliberately circulating a video of the incident on social media to provoke public disorder.
The TVK party escalated its response by lodging complaints with both local police and the National Commission for Women. In response to Stalin's detention, DMK supporters staged demonstrations across Tamil Nadu in protest of what they characterized as political persecution.
