The Madras High Court declined to intervene in the criminal case against ex-Tamil Nadu Minister and senior DMK leader K. Ponmudy regarding his contentious comments on Shaivites, Vaishnavites, and women. The court upheld the private complaint filed by BJP Greater Chennai Corporation councillor Uma Anandan, who alleged that Ponmudy’s speech during an event in April 2025 contained derogatory statements. Anandan claimed that the remarks in the speech, which likened sacred marks of different sects to sexual postures, were offensive and could incite religious discord.
Ponmudy’s attempt to challenge the order of the III Metropolitan Magistrate Court, George Town, Chennai, which had taken cognisance of the private complaint and summoned him, was dismissed by Justice G.K. Ilanthiraiyan. The High Court ruled that the proceedings should continue in the trial court, rejecting Ponmudy’s arguments that he was merely recalling someone else’s comments from a closed-door meeting and that the complaint did not establish the alleged offenses under relevant sections of the law. The court upheld the decision to allow the criminal case against Ponmudy to proceed.
