Chennai, August 4, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The Madras High Court on Tuesday directed the Tamil Nadu 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 ordered that Udhayanidhi Stalin, who was arrested by the Thanjavur police earlier in the day, be questioned and released on Tuesday itself. It also directed the police not to continue the interrogation on Wednesday and instructed the DMK leader to cooperate with the investigation.
The case relates to a protest led by Udhayanidhi Stalin in front of the Panagal Building in Thanjavur on Monday over the Mekedatu dam dispute. During the demonstration, the DMK protested against the Centre and the Tamil Nadu government over the Cauvery water issue and demanded that the delta districts be declared drought-affected.
According to the police, Udhayanidhi allegedly made derogatory remarks against Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay during his speech, prompting criticism from ministers of the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK).
Following the speech, Bhairavi, a functionary of the TVK women’s wing in Thanjavur, lodged a complaint with the police. Based on the complaint, the Thanjavur police registered a case against Udhayanidhi Stalin under nine legal provisions.
A police team arrested him from his Neelangarai residence in Chennai on Tuesday morning and took him by road to Thanjavur. Former ministers P.K. Sekar Babu and Ma. Subramanian accompanied him during the journey.
Before the arrest, the DMK had approached the Madras High Court seeking urgent relief. While hearing the matter earlier in the day, the court had asked the Public Prosecutor to inform the police not to take further action until noon. However, Udhayanidhi was arrested before the petition could be heard in detail.
His arrest sparked protests across Tamil Nadu, with DMK workers staging demonstrations and road blockades at several locations.
During the subsequent hearing, the High Court directed the police to complete the questioning on Tuesday and release Udhayanidhi the same day, while restraining further interrogation on Wednesday.
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