Madras High Court orders release of Udhayanidhi Stalin; no judicial remand

The Madras High Court on Tuesday directed the Tamil Nadu Police to release DMK MLA and Leader of Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin after completing his questioning in connection with a case registered over his alleged remarks linked to actress Trisha. The court also directed him to cooperate with the investigation whenever required.

The court heard Udhayanidhi Stalin’s anticipatory bail plea after the Tamil Nadu Advocate General Vijay Narayan informed the court that the police did not intend to seek his judicial remand.

Appearing for the state, the Advocate General submitted that Udhayanidhi had already been arrested and would be released on station bail 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, adding that the arrest had been made “in the interest of women.”

Earlier in the day, the Thanjavur (East) Police took the DMK leader into custody from his residence in Neelankarai, Chennai, and took him to Thanjavur for questioning in connection with an FIR registered over his public address at a Cauvery protest meeting yesterday.

He was booked under Sections 61, 79, 192, 196, 296(b), 351(2) and 352 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Section 4 of the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Women Act, and Section 67 of the Information Technology Act.

Speaking to reporters after being taken into custody, Udhayanidhi denied making any derogatory remarks and alleged that a “fake narrative” had been created by circulating edited clips of his speech.

“They have propagated fake news by using ‘Cut, Copy, Paste’ to claim I said something I never said. I am not the kind of person to be intimidated by all this. I will face it legally,” he said, describing the police action against him as a “comedy.”

The controversy erupted after Udhayanidhi, while addressing a gathering during the Cauvery protest, was interrupted by sections of the crowd chanting “Trisha, Trisha.” He allegedly responded, “Whether the water reaches anywhere else or not, it should reach there,” before clarifying that he was referring to Cauvery water.

Following the remarks, the women’s wing of the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) lodged a complaint with the Thanjavur Police, alleging that the DMK leader had made a double-entendre remark targeting actor Trisha.

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