Chennai: Actor and MLA S Karunas was arrested early Sunday at his Valasarawakkam residence over some uncomplimentary remarks he allegedly made against the Chief Minister and the police at a recent public meeting. Three of his associates in his outfit, ‘Mukkalathor Puli Padai’ were also arrested, police said.
A special team picked up Karunas from his residence at about 6.30 am even as a large number of his supporters had gathered there from the previous night itself apprehending his arrest over the remarks at his outfit’s rally at Valluvar Kottam where he allegedly made provocative, defamatory and derogatory remarks against the CM and a deputy commissioner of police in the city. He was taken to the Nungambakkam police station for recording a statement and later produced before the 13th Egmore metropolitan magistrate Gopinath at his residence.
Following the judicial custody ordered by the magistrate till October 5, Karunas and others arrested were lodged in prison. The magistrate accepted the contention of Karunas’ lawyer that the police should drop their charge of ‘attempt to murder’ and allowed the other charges. The actor’s followers had earlier crowded before the Nungambakkam police station and raised slogans condemning the arrest and warning the administration not to provoke and push them into agitation.
Speaking to reporters after the remand, a defiant Karunas said he was not aware whether the police got the Speaker P Dhanapal’s clearance as per the Assembly rules before arresting him. Charging the government with denying freedom of expression, he said he would fight his case in a court of law and get justice. He said his (Mukkalathor) community people were brave and would boldly bare their chest to receive the police bullets. Fear of imprisonment did not deter them.
“These jails are built only for us”, he said. He also said he had already expressed regret for his offensive comments against the CM and the police, so why was the government still after him and his followers?
Karunas’ remarks at the Valluvar Kottam meeting had invited all-round criticism from political leaders and public outfits as they feared his casteist speech, hailing his Mukkalathor community while attacking the others, could trigger violence by his followers targeting others on caste basis. In his speech, the actor-politician had allegedly justified killing by his caste kin if the cause justified it.
While faulting Karunas for his provocative speech, DMK president MK Stalin wondered why the law enforcers chose to remain mum over the extremely provocative and offending remarks made by BJP leaders H Raja and S Ve Shekher.
Karunas was elected from Tiruvadanai constituency in Ramanathapuram district on an AIADMK ticket. Proclaiming loyalty for Sasikala and TTV Dhinakaran, he began attacking the CM and his government on various issues.
