Tamil orator ‘Nellai’ Kannan, wanted for having allegedly given a hate speech against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah at a public meeting against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) at Melapalayam in Tirunelveli on Sunday last, was arrested in Perambalur on Wednesday.
A police team picked up Mr. Kannan from a lodge where he was staying.
Mr. Kannan did not put up any resistance, sources said.
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M. Amalraj, IGP, Central Zone, said Mr. Kannan would be handed over to the Tirunelveli police, who would formally arrest him.
At the public meeting, organised in Muslim-dominated Melapalayam by the Social Democratic Party of India, Mr. Kannan made certain remarks which were seen as an incitement to Muslims to “finish off” Mr. Shah, whom he dubbed “the brain behind the Prime Minister”.
BJP Tirunelveli district president A. Dhayasankar had on Monday submitted a complaint to the Tirunelveli City Police Commissioner, Deepak M. Damor, seeking action against Mr. Kannan.
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Subsequently, the Melapalayam police registered a case against Mr. Kannan on Monday night, under Sections 504, 505 and 505 (2) of the Indian Penal Code, which deal with the provoking of breach of public peace and the inciting of hatred.
On Tuesday, some BJP workers staged a dharna in front of Mr. Kannan’s house in Tirunelveli town. At the time, Mr. Kannan complained of chest pain and was rushed to a hospital in an ambulance. Subsequently, the private hospital management “referred” him to a Madurai-based hospital for “further treatment”. However, Mr. Kannan could not be located thereafter, until his arrest in Perambalur.
Police sources said the Sections invoked against him in the case registered by the Melapalayam police may be altered, and a few more Sections of the IPC could be invoked against him.
Earlier in the day, senior State BJP leaders led a protest in Chennai, demanding his arrest.