Retired TN police officer arrested for defaming Madras HC judge over Karur stampede probe

Chennai, Oct 7 Chennai’s South Cyber Crime Police have arrested retired police officer Varadarajan for allegedly making defamatory remarks on social media against Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy of the Madras High Court, who is overseeing the judicial inquiry into the Karur stampede that claimed 41 lives during actor-politician Vijay’s political roadshow.

The Karur tragedy occurred on September 27 at Veluchamipuram, where a massive crowd gathered for Vijay’s first major political rally after launching his party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK).

Despite the venue being suited for only a few thousand, nearly 30,000 supporters reportedly surged in, leading to chaos and a deadly stampede.

In the aftermath, Tamil Nadu Police intensified action against those spreading rumours and provocative content related to the incident. Cybercrime teams have already registered multiple cases against individuals accused of disturbing public order through misinformation. Among those targeted were popular YouTubers Felix Gerald and Maridhas.

While the court refused to remand Gerald to custody, Maridhas was questioned and released on condition that he appear for further inquiry if required.

Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy, who is hearing petitions linked to the stampede, had earlier directed the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) under North Zone Inspector General Asra Garg to probe the circumstances of the disaster.

During a recent hearing, the judge made pointed observations about the political leadership of the event organisers.

Referring indirectly to TVK’s leadership, he remarked that the party’s top executives, “including Vijay, showed a lack of leadership qualities in handling an event of this scale.”

His remarks sparked a wave of debate online — some netizens welcomed the judge’s candour, while others launched abusive campaigns against him.

Justice Ramamoorthy, responding to the criticism, said, “Judges are used to being criticised; we take it with a smile.” Police said Varadarajan, who runs a small political outfit named Netaji Makkal Katchi and frequently posts political commentary videos, had uploaded a video attacking the judge personally over his comments.

Acting on complaints and digital evidence, cybercrime officers arrested him. Officials said the crackdown is part of a broader effort to deter hate campaigns and ensure public discourse remains within legal limits as the sensitive investigation continues.

--IANS

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