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A 28-year-old man associated with the Bharatiya Janata Party’s IT wing was arrested on Tuesday in Tamil Nadu’s Namakkal district for posting a communal message on social media. The accused, identified as S. Praveen Raj from Muthukalipatty in Rasipuram taluk, was found operating online under the alias “Sanghi Prince.”
According to the Times of India, Praveen’s controversial post referred to the recent custodial death in Sivaganga and stated that he would be “the next Ajith Kumar.” Alleging police harassment he claimed that he will become a “victim of terrorism.” Police say he had also previously shared content targeting Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin.
On Tuesday, July 1, Praveen posted a detailed tweet alleging political and police harassment for his “outspoken” views against terrorism and Pakistan. He claimed that 20 police officers arrived at his home that morning intending to arrest him for his social media statements. He compared his situation to the recent custodial death of Ajith Kumar, stating, “I am the next Ajith Kumar… but this won’t be for theft, it will be for speaking against terrorists.”
Praveen also recounted earlier incidents, including being forced to take bail for a “non-existent” case and an alleged attempt by the police to pressure him into writing an apology for calling the Pahalgaon attackers “Islamic terrorists.” He accused the police of lying under oath. He further alleged that during a previous arrest in 2023, he was deliberately placed in a jail cell with a convicted terrorist to intimidate him.
The post, made on the platform X (formerly Twitter), was reportedly flagged by the Namakkal district cybercrime team. Following the alert, Nallipalayam police initiated action and took Praveen into custody. He was booked under Sections 196 and 346 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for promoting enmity and for defacement actions intended to cause harm.
District Superintendent of Police S. Rajesh Kannan urged citizens to exercise caution while expressing opinions on digital platforms. “Statements that provoke caste or religious tensions can escalate into law and order issues,” he warned.
Police are continuing their investigation into Praveen’s past online activity to determine if further legal action is warranted.
This is not the first time Praveen Raj has been in legal trouble. On December 15, 2023, the cybercrime wing of the Trichy police registered a case against him for allegedly spreading misinformation about a security breach in Parliament. In a now-deleted post, he claimed that DMK MP Dr. Senthil Kumar had distributed visitor passes to the individuals involved in the incident. The post, made on platform X, led to a case being filed based on a complaint by advocate Arokiyadoss.
Praveen had remained absconding at the time. Notably, he had also been arrested in October 2023 by Karur police for derogatory comments about Congress MP Rahul Gandhi. The December 13 security breach at Parliament had sparked national outrage after four individuals stormed the premises with coloured smoke canisters, prompting multiple arrests.