Ex-Minister D. Jayakumar arrested for attack on DMK man

Three DMK functionaries held on complaint from Jayakumar’s driver

Former Minister and AIADMK leader D. Jayakumar was on Monday night arrested by the Chennai police on charges of assaulting a DMK party man, forcing him to remove his shirt and parading him in public during the civic elections held on Saturday. A posse of senior police officers led by Deputy Commissioner of Police E.Sundaravathanam entered Mr. Jayakumar’s house in Pattinampakkam and arrested him amid heated arguments and opposition from his family members.

The Tondiarpet Police also booked over 40 cadre of the AIADMK, including Mr. Jayakumar for staging a road roko following a clash between them and the DMK cadre on Saturday over an allegation of booth capture by the latter.

In a video, the former Minister was seen directing Naresh, a DMK cadre, accused of attempting to cast bogus votes, to remove his shirt. The AIADMK cadre then tied Naresh’s hands using the shirt and paraded him in public before handing him over to the police. Later, Mr. Jayakumar and others resorted to a road roko at the junction between GA Road and East Kalmandapam Road demanding action against the DMK cadre.

On a complaint from Naresh, the Tondiarpet Police booked Mr. Jayakumar and others under 10 sections of the Indian Penal Code and other Acts.

Police said the FIR was registered against them under Sections 147 (Punishment for Rioting), 148 (Rioting, with armed weapon) 294(b) (Uttering vulgar word in public), 153 ( Wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot), 355 (assault or criminal force with intent to dishonour person, otherwise than on grave provocation) of IPC and other provisions of the City Police Act.

Condemning Mr. Jayakumar’s arrest, his son and former MP Jayavardhan, along with AIADMK supporters, gathered in front of the Nungambakkam police station and resorted to a road roko. Police sources said the former Minister would be taken to the metropolitan magistrate court for judicial remand.

Meanwhile, the Tondiarpet Police arrested three DMK men based on a complaint given by Jagannathan, the driver of Mr. Jayakumar, who alleged that he was attacked by them on Saturday. Police said the DMK men — Kolanjinathan, 49, of Park Town, Sridhar, 46, of Tondiarpet, and Sudhakar, 43, of Pallavan Salai, were arrested.