Pro-BJP YouTuber Maridhas arrested over videos targeting Vijay’s TVK government

Maridhas, a prominent Tamil YouTuber known for his outspoken support of the BJP and sharp criticism of Dravidian parties, was arrested on Monday by a special team of the Chennai City Police in connection with videos allegedly targeting the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK)-led government headed by Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay.

Police officials said Maridhas was taken into custody from his residence in Madurai and brought to Chennai for questioning. While authorities confirmed that a case had been registered by the Cyber Crime wing of the Chennai Police, details of the FIR and the specific legal provisions invoked had not been made public until Monday afternoon.

According to police sources, the action followed what officials described as a series of videos and public remarks allegedly critical of the functioning of the state government, the Chief Minister and several ministers. A special Cyber Crime team from Chennai, assisted by the Madurai City Police, carried out the arrest amid heavy police deployment around his residence in Surya Nagar, Madurai. Another police source said the arrest was linked to remarks allegedly made during an interview aired on a YouTube channel.

A senior police official said Maridhas will be questioned and further details regarding the case will emerge as the investigation progresses.

The arrest is the latest chapter in the long and contentious relationship between Maridhas and law enforcement agencies in Tamil Nadu. Over the past several years, the YouTuber has emerged as one of the most visible right-wing voices in Tamil social media, building a substantial following through videos attacking Dravidian parties, defending BJP positions and engaging in political commentary.

His most high-profile arrest came in December 2021 after a tweet posted in the aftermath of the helicopter crash near Coonoor that killed Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat and 12 others. In that post, Maridhas questioned whether Tamil Nadu was “becoming another Kashmir under the DMK regime” and suggested that the state’s political climate allowed “separatist” and “treasonous” activities to flourish.

Madurai police arrested him and registered a case under provisions including sedition, promoting enmity and public mischief. The arrest triggered protests by BJP leaders and cadres, with then state BJP president K Annamalai accusing the government of suppressing freedom of expression.

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Days later, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court quashed the FIR. Justice G R Swaminathan held that none of the offences cited by the police was made out on the facts of the case.

Even after that FIR was struck down, Maridhas remained in judicial custody for a brief period in connection with another case investigated by the Chennai Cyber Crime Police. That case involved allegations that a fake email purportedly originating from a senior editor at a news organisation had been forged and displayed on his YouTube channel to support claims of political bias in the media.