K Ponmudy appears before George Town Court; NBW recalled

CHENNAI : Former DMK Minister K Ponmudy appeared before the George Town Court on Friday (August 7) and filed a surrender petition, following which the court admitted his plea and recalled the non-bailable warrant (NBW) issued against him on August 6.

Former Minister Ponmudy appeared before Judge C. Sundarapandian, VII Metropolitan Magistrate (FAC), George Town, Chennai.

The case arose from alleged controversial remarks made by Ponmudy on Vaishnavism, Saivism and women during an event in Chennai in April 2025. The Madras High Court had earlier directed the State to register an FIR and subsequently initiated suo motu proceedings after no FIR was registered, observing that the speech prima facie amounted to hate speech.

The suo motu proceedings were later closed after the State informed the High Court that the complaints had been investigated and closed for want of material. However, the Court granted liberty to the complainants to approach the jurisdictional Metropolitan Magistrate.

Pursuant to the liberty granted by the High Court, BJP Chennai City Councillor Uma Anandan filed a private complaint before the Metropolitan Magistrate under Sections 196(1)(a), 299 and 302 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

Finding a prima facie case, the Metropolitan Magistrate took cognisance of the complaint and issued summons to Ponmudy. Aggrieved by the cognisance order and the summons, Ponmudy filed a criminal revision petition before the Madras High Court.

By an order dated July 2, the High Court dismissed the revision petition and directed the trial court to complete the trial within six months.

On August 6, the George Town Court issued a non-bailable warrant after Ponmudy failed to appear before the court. His plea seeking condonation of his absence was also rejected.