The Chennai police on Monday arrested Kishore K Swamy, a self-attested 'political analyst', for circulating defamatory posts against Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, as well as former CMs and DMK leaders Annadurai and M Karunanidhi. A right-wing supporter Kishore K Swamy has also been accused of harassing women journalists on social media. He had earlier been arrested twice but was released on bail.
On Monday, Shankar Nagar police arrested Kishore K Swamy based on a complaint from the coordinator of DMK IT Wing, Kancheepuram district. In the complaint on June 10, the coordinator said, Swamy was circulating abusive and defamatory comments against former Tamil Nadu Chief Ministers. Speaking to TNM, Shankar Nagar police sub-inspector said, “We have arrested Swamy for making derogatory comments against former Tamil Nadu Chief Ministers including Anna and Karunanidhi and present CM Stalin.”
He has been booked under Section 153 (Wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot), Section (1) (b) (Causing fear or alarm to the public, or to any section of the public whereby any person may be induced to commit an offence against the State or against the public tranquility) and Section (1) (C) (Whoever makes, publishes or circulates any statement or report containing rumour or alarming news with intent to create or promote, or which is likely to create or promote feelings of enmity, hatred or ill-will between different religious, racial, language or regional groups or castes or communities) of Indian Penal Code.
Kishore was produced before a magistrate and remanded to judicial custody. It may be noted that the recent post of Kishore K Swamy was against the announcement of the DMK government to permit women archakars to perform pooja in temples.
The Cyber Crime wing of Chennai police had in 2019 arrested Kishore based on a complaint by Tamil Nadu Women Journalists Forum. At least eight journalists have filed complaints against him in the past. In a complaint to then CM Edappadi Palaniswami in 2020, the Tamil Nadu Women Journalists Forum stated that Kishore K Swamy had specifically targeted women journalists on Twitter, posting obscenities, indulging in character assasination and instigating certain religious groups against them. Despite being arrested in October 2019 and in July 2020, he was released on bail the same day by the Chennai police. “It is extremely shameful that the establishment would repeatedly protect a man who has been accused multiple times of harassing and defaming senior journalists in the state. His posts go beyond the realm of criticising their work. He carries out vicious campaigns targeting their personal lives, attempting to defame and humiliate them, with unfounded allegations. Despite this, the Chennai police has allowed this man to not only escape the law but also continue with his methods of character assassination online,” the forum had said in its letter to EPS.
In 2013, an FIR was filed against Kishore for harassing journalist Kavin Malar. However, the case was closed in March with the police claiming they couldn’t find his comments on Facebook.