Chennai: The Madras High Court on Tuesday ordered the police to release Leader of the Opposition and DMK Youth Wing Secretary Udhayanidhi Stalin after questioning him in connection with a case registered over his alleged derogatory remarks against Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay.
The court directed that Udhayanidhi Stalin, who was arrested by the Thanjavur police earlier in the day, should be questioned and released on Tuesday itself.
It also ordered the police not to continue the interrogation until Wednesday and directed the DMK leader to cooperate with the investigation.
The case stems from a protest led by Udhayanidhi Stalin in front of the Panagal Building in Thanjavur on Monday over the Mekedatu dam dispute. The demonstration condemned the Centre and the State government over the Cauvery water issue and demanded that the delta districts be declared drought-affected.
During his address, Udhayanidhi Stalin allegedly made derogatory remarks targeting Chief Minister Vijay, triggering criticism from ministers in the ruling party.
Following the speech, Bhairavi, an executive of the ruling TVK’s women’s wing in Thanjavur, lodged a complaint with the police.
Acting on the complaint, the Thanjavur police registered a case against Udhayanidhi Stalin under nine provisions. A police team subsequently arrived at his Neelangarai residence in Chennai on Tuesday morning and arrested him. He was later taken by road towards Thanjavur in a police vehicle.
Former ministers P.K. Sekar Babu and Ma. Subramanian accompanied him during the journey.
The DMK had earlier moved the Madras High Court seeking urgent relief against Udhayanidhi Stalin’s arrest. When the matter was mentioned before the court, the judge said it would be taken up later in the afternoon and asked the Public Prosecutor to inform the police not to take further action until noon. However, he was arrested before the petition came up for detailed hearing.
His arrest triggered protests by DMK cadres across Tamil Nadu, with party workers staging demonstrations and road blockades at several places.
When Udhayanidhi Stalin’s petition came up for hearing again in the afternoon, the High Court directed the Thanjavur police to complete any questioning required on Tuesday and release him the same day. The court further directed that no interrogation should be conducted on Wednesday while making it clear that he must cooperate with the investigation.
(IANS)
