Four held for blackmailing Aadheenam mutt seer, search on for BJP leader in Tamil Nadu

The group even assaulted Viruthagiri. Fearing for his life, Viruthagiri agreed to pay the money, sources added.

The accused had threatened to upload ‘obscene’ clip of the seer online Express

MAYILADUTHURAI : The Mayiladuthurai police have arrested four people and remanded them in judicial custody for their alleged bid to extort money from the Dharmapuram aadheenam mutt seer with threats of sharing online video and audio clips capturing his “obscene” acts.

A search is on for the BJP's district president, who allegedly instigated the blackmailing, as well as four others in connection with the case. According to sources, R Vinoth (32) of Aduthurai over the past few days kept ringing up the seer's brother and assistant, Viruthagiri, and threatened him saying that he was in possession of “obscene” clips of the mutt head. Vinoth threatened to upload them online were Viruthagiri not to pay up the money demanded. He also issued him murder threats through history-sheeter R Vignesh of Thiruvenkadu.

The group allegedly continued their blackmailing under the instigation of BJP district president K Agoram and a private school correspondent, N Kudiyarasu (39) of Sembanarkoil. The group even assaulted him. Fearing for his life, Viruthagiri agreed to pay the money, sources added.

With the mutt seer, 27th Gurumaha Sannithanam Srilasri Masilamani Desiga Gnana Sambanda Paramachariya Swamigal, also “becoming depressed” over the alleged harassment, Viruthagiri gathered courage and lodged a complaint with the Mayiladuthurai police on February 25.

Following this, the police registered a case under Sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 307 (attempt to murder), 389 (extortion), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC. On Wednesday, they arrested Vinoth, Vignesh, Kudiyarasu and another person, R Srinivas (28) of Neikuppai.

They were judicially remanded to the Mayiladuthurai sub-jail that evening. A search is on for more suspects, including Agoram. Meanwhile, the seer, who is currently on a visit to Varanasi, issued a press statement in connection with the case.

In it he said, "Some miscreants had been harassing the mutt staff for the past few days. We hence decided to move legally. We thank the police and the chief minister for the swift action and arresting them.” We also thank the chief minister for “redeeming” our mutt and upholding its “dignity”, the release added.