CHENNAI: The coordinator of the DMK’s Gen Z wing, A Anbanantham, on Monday withdrew a petition seeking anticipatory bail in an FIR registered by the Rayakottai police in Krishnagiri district for allegedly making social media posts containing derogatory remarks against Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay and linking him with a female actor.
Justice C Kumarappan, before whom the pre-arrest bail petition came up for hearing, permitted the petitioner to withdraw the plea as requested by senior counsel NR Elango.
The judge declined to grant the relief, observing that the petitioner’s posts had “affected the conscience of society” and that he appeared to have treated the freedom to post messages as a “carte blanche”.
Anbanantham moved the petition fearing arrest in the case registered by the Rayakottai police on June 23 based on a complaint lodged by a local TVK functionary, M Moorthy. He alleged that Anbanantham had posted a video on Instagram making derogatory remarks against the chief minister, his family and the actor.
He was booked under the provisions of the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1986.
The police had earlier attempted to search his residence, but faced stiff resistance from his family and DMK members, who questioned the legality of searching the house without a valid warrant.