Following a series of arrests over rumour-mongering and ‘mocking’ of Jayalalithaa’s health, 22 more complaints have now been filed by the police, including one against a DMK youth wing functionary in Coimbatore on charges of spreading rumours.
According to The Hindu, DMK treasurer M.K. Stalin alleged harassment of party members by the police, arresting them on the pretext of making mocking comments against the AIADMK supremo.
In a statement, he said, “We cannot tolerate such action any longer.”
So far, the police filed cases against 52 persons and already arrested seven.
“The police have picked up DMK men and threatened to disable their social media accounts. This is highly condemnable,” he said.
“The AIADMK seeks to create an impression that the DMK is behind the rumours and we suspect that the police are conniving with the ruling party,” he alleged.
He also pointed out the how the Supreme Court had intervened and annulled section 66 (A) of the Information Technology Act, which awarded punishment for sending defamatory statements through various communication devices.
Former AIADMK Minister C. Ponnaiyan denied Stalin’s charge.
So far, 7 have been arrested.
A priest from Manapadu near Thoothukudi was arrested on Saturday.
Two arrests were made on Friday by the Coimbatore police based on a complaint from an AIADMK functionary that a bank clerk and a certified jewellery appraiser had mocked Chief Minister Jayalalithaa’s health condition.
They were subsequently remanded in judicial custody.
Thirumani Selvam, a bank official from Thoothukudi, was arrested by the Crime Branch police for spreading false rumours about Jayalalithaa’s health on Facebook.
Another man, Balasundaram from Pammal, was arrested by the police for a similar crime.