YouTuber Maridhas arrested over defamatory content targeting TVK leaders

Tamil Nadu Police on Monday arrested political commentator and YouTuber Maridhas in connection with allegations that he circulated videos and online content containing defamatory remarks about the state government and certain public officials. He was taken into custody from his residence in Madurai by a team from the Cyber Crime Wing

According to reports, the action follows the registration of a case based on videos and social media content in which Maridhas allegedly made comments targeting Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay, a woman minister in the Cabinet, and other representatives of the government. Investigators said the case was initiated by the Cyber Crime Wing after examining the material that had been circulated online.

Authorities have invoked provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and sections of the Information Technology Act. Police contend that some of the remarks were derogatory in nature and that the content under scrutiny may have violated laws relating to online publication and communication.

Officials stated that Maridhas will be questioned as part of the investigation and that additional details regarding the allegations and evidence collected will emerge during the legal process.

The arrest has triggered political reactions. Critics of the government argued that legal remedies such as notices or court proceedings could have been pursued before taking the YouTuber into custody, while supporters of the action maintained that complaints involving defamatory and allegedly offensive online content must be investigated under the law