Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) Rajya Sabha MP J Constandine Ravindran has filed a formal complaint with the Election Commission of India, accusing Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay and Sports Minister Aadhav Arjuna of violating the Model Code of Conduct and a Madras High Court order.
The complaint centers on public speeches made ahead of the upcoming Madurantakam Assembly bypoll, in which the political leaders referenced an ongoing Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act case involving Gem Granites chairman Veeramani.
According to the complaint submitted by Ravindran, Vijay and Arjuna repeatedly referred to the Veeramani case during election rallies held in Tamil, which were broadcast live on television channels and widely circulated across social media platforms. Ravindran stated that these remarks were made in direct contravention of directives issued by the Madras High Court.
The High Court directive, issued during a hearing on a defamation suit filed by DMK general secretary Duraimurugan against Arjuna, fellow minister CTR Nirmal Kumar, and the IT wing of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), explicitly instructed TVK representatives to refrain from linking the POCSO case against Veeramani to the DMK, its leadership, or its party functionaries.
In his submission to the Election Commission, Ravindran further contended that the statements violated the Model Code of Conduct (MCC). Under MCC guidelines, campaign criticism of opposing political parties must remain restricted to their policies, official programs, past governance records, and public work, rather than unverified personal or sub-judice allegations.
During the campaign event in Madurantakam, Vijay alleged that the POCSO case against Veeramani had been “buried” during the previous administration under DMK president MK Stalin.
Veeramani, who is over 80 years old, was arrested last month along with two accomplices in connection with the alleged sexual abuse of a minor girl in Chennai dating back to 2019. Police officials stated that the formal case was registered in October 2025 after an investigative team obtained a video clip purportedly showing the assault. Subsequent police investigations have identified multiple alleged survivors over a span of several years.
DMK president MK Stalin has publicly rejected allegations that his government or party made any attempt to protect or shield Veeramani from legal action. The Election Commission has not yet announced what specific actions or notices, if any, will be issued in response to the complaint.
Sources
– India Today: https://www.indiatoday.in/india/tamil-nadu/story/vijay-tvk-minister-aadhav-arjuna-violated-mcc-by-referring-to-veeramani-pocso-case-alleges-dmk-mp-3003996-2026-09-27?utm_source=rss
Source: India Today – India
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Story synopsis gathered from: India Today – India — source
