Vijay-led TVK govt has come under fire from its own allies over the incident.
TN police detaining senior TV journalist Vijayan sparks outrage
Media fraternity and political leaders slam what they felt unjust and humiliating targeting of Puthiya Thalamurai anchor R Vijayan
The Tamil Nadu Police, in a questionable move, has issued summons to senior television journalist R Vijayan in the 'political horse trading' controversy dubbed 'Project Meghalaya', allegedly aiming to destabilise the state's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK)-led government, inviting strong condemnation from the journalist fraternity and political circles, including one of the ruling party's allies.
About the incident
As cops in Chennai detained Vijayan and interrogated him for hours at the police station on Wednesday (July 15), they failed to recognise that the WhatsApp chat that transpired between him and a YouTuber, the main accused in the case, was just a professional interaction.
On July 1, the police had arrested three people, including the YouTuber named Thirunavakkarasu, following a complaint filed by the TVK's MLA from the Uthangarai Assembly constituency, N Elaiyaraja. He alleged the YouTuber, who runs IPDS (Indian Political Democratic Strategies), an opinion polling platform, attempted to influence him to vote against his own party’s position during Legislative Assembly proceedings.
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The complaint further stated that the MLA was offered a bribe of Rs 35 crore. When he turned down the offer, the MLA and his family members allegedly received death threats.
Police investigations reportedly uncovered a conspiracy to induce nearly 15 TVK MLAs through illegal monetary means to destabilise the elected government led by the actor-chief minister, Joseph Vijay. More arrests have followed, and over 80 witnesses have been examined, including Vijayan, a senior anchor at Puthiya Thalaimurai — the most popular and credible news channel in Tamil Nadu and The Federal's sister organisation.
Puthiya Thalaimurai Editor Samas strongly criticised the police press release for using the phrase “exchanged objectionable electronic communications and remained in continuous contact during the criminal conspiracy”, calling the language defamatory and damaging to the journalist's reputation.
During the probe, police examined Thirunavakkarasu's WhatsApp exchanges and found conversations with Vijayan, prompting the issuance of a summons on July 15. The journalist appeared before the investigating officer the same day. He was called to the station late in the evening, released after an hour, around 10.30 pm, then called back minutes later. He was then questioned until 2 am the next day and let go after his cell phone was seized.
Vijayan was again summoned to the station at 11 am on Thursday (July 16), made to wait all day, and questioned once more at 6 pm. He was released within the hour after formally promising to fully cooperate with the investigation. His mobile phone was sent for detailed digital forensic analysis.
Police press statement irks journalist fraternity
When first summoned as a witness, Vijayan had informed his office, cancelled a scheduled programme, and appeared at the police station on July 15 with colleagues and a lawyer. A police press statement described him as having exchanged "objectionable electronic communications" and remaining in "continuous contact" with the accused during the alleged conspiracy — a language that commentators, including those from various media outlets, called defamatory and damaging to a journalist with no prior record, summoned only as a witness.
In a write-up, Samas, editor of Puthiya Thalaimurai, explained that Thirunavukkarasu was known to everyone as a political pollster and commentator who regularly appeared on television debates, including on his channel.
Also read: ‘Political poaching not a new trend in TN’; will TVK resist or fall prey?
He maintained a normal professional relationship with Vijayan, as journalists have with guests on their shows. Thirunavukkarasu occasionally shared opinions and poll predictions with Vijayan via WhatsApp. Once, he suggested that efforts were underway to topple the TVK-led government. Vijayan asked for details and immediately shared the information and chat during that day's editorial meeting at his workplace.
"Something seems to be happening," he told his colleagues. However, since rumours about the stability of the TVK-led government had been circulating widely since the day the government was formed in May, no one took it seriously.
When Thirunavukkarasu was arrested, the channel didn't connect it to the earlier message. The matter gained attention only when police summoned Vijayan as a witness. He immediately informed his office, which decided to extend full cooperation, viewing it as necessary for the investigation. The journalist, as said earlier, called off his scheduled show and went to the police station.
News of the prolonged questioning spread soon, prompting strong reactions from political leaders and journalist associations, ultimately leading to his release. Samas strongly criticised the police press release for using the phrase “exchanged objectionable electronic communications and remained in continuous contact during the criminal conspiracy”, calling the language defamatory and damaging to the journalist's reputation.
He argued that framing routine journalistic contact as conspiracy — when discussions about toppling the government were already public — amounts to character assassination and an attack on press freedom, and that treating a witness like a criminal undermines democratic values.
Journalist organisations said that routine professional interactions between journalists and sources — including sharing information about political developments already discussed publicly across parties — shouldn't be framed as complicity in conspiracy. They raised concerns over press freedom, treatment of the witness and potential self-censorship among journalists.
Opposition leaders, TVK ally slam incident
Opposition leaders and journalist bodies condemned the questioning and confiscation of Vijayan's phone, with Dravida Munnetral Kazhagam MP Kanimozhi, Naam Tamilar Katchi's Seeman, Tamilaga Vazhvurimai Katchi's T Velmurugan, and Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam's Dhinakaran calling it as an act of intimidating the media and attacking democratic freedoms.
Thol. Thirumavalavan, whose Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi is a member of the TVK-led coalition, strongly condemned the police action, saying the questioning of the journalist amounted to psychological harassment. He said threatening journalists is not conducive to democracy and urged that intimidating media personnel must be stopped immediately.
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K Veeramani of Dravidar Kazhagam also slammed the incident, calling for the immediate return of the journalist’s phone and stating that threatening journalists is not consistent with democratic governance.
Police said the investigation is ongoing and that Vijayan was questioned to ascertain facts related to the communications. He remains obligated to appear whenever required.