Detention of BJP functionary under Goondas Act quashed

A division bench of the Madras High Court on Friday quashed the detention order passed against BJP state working committee member R Kalyanaraman under the Goondas Act for posting derogatory posts on social media and cyber harassment.

The bench, consisting of Justice PN Prakash and Justice AA Nakkiran passed the direction on allowing a bail plea filed by Kalyanaraman’s wife Shanthi. The petitioner prayed for a direction to quash the detention order dated October 23, 2021, claiming it was passed mechanically without applying the mind.

“My husband served as a national general secretary for Bharatiya Janata Mazdoor Mahasangh (BJMM) of the BJP. He is also a working committee member of the Tamil Nadu BJP. The Coimbatore Collector had passed a detention order under Goondas Act against my husband in February 2021. He was arrested on the same charges last year and the same was quashed by the HC. It is unnecessary to invoke the same provisions of the Act once again to arrest him despite no change in the situation,” the petitioner submitted.

On recording the submissions, the judges quashed the detention order.

On October 17, 2021, Kalyanaraman was arrested on charges of posting a derogatory post on his Twitter page against former CM M Karunanidhi. DMK MP DNV Senthil Kumar, representing Dharmapuri LS seat, had lodged a complaint with police against the ‘offensive’ social media post.