Actor Kasturi in police custody over remarks against Telugus in TN

Tamil Nadu police have reportedly taken actor Kasturi into custody in Hyderabad.

The arrest on Saturday (November 16) evening came two days after the Madras High Court dismissed her anticipatory bail petition in connection with her alleged derogatory remarks against the Telugu community living in Tamil Nadu.

The Thirunagar police in Madurai had reportedly registered a case against her based on a complaint from members of the Tamil Nadu Naidu Mahajana Sangam.

Apology has no effect

While moving the anticipatory bail plea, the actor said she had apologised for her remarks earlier this month. On November 6, she announced that she had withdrawn all references to Telugus from her November 3 speech.

Also read: Actor Kasturi withdraws reference to Telugu people, says 'sorry for any inadvertent ill feeling'

She stated that it was never her intention to hurt or offend her “Telugu extended family”. “I am sorry for any inadvertent ill feeling. In the interest of all-round amity, I withdraw all references to Telugus in my speech delivered on November 3,” she said.

Controversial speech to support Brahmins

The actor made the controversial remarks in a speech at an agitation of the Hindu Makkal Katchi in support of Brahmins in Chennai. She allegedly said that the Telugu people in Tamil Nadu were descendants of the courtesans who had served Tamil kings in ancient times.

“I reiterate that my opinions were contextually specific to certain individuals and not directed at the broader Telugu community. This controversy has unfortunately diverted attention from the more important points I raised in that speech,” she wrote in a post on the social media platform X.

However, the Madurai Bench of the Madras HC on Thursday declined her plea for anticipatory bail.