Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam MLA GV Markandayan was arrested on Monday for making remarks about Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay that a member of the state’s ruling party alleged were derogatory, The Hindu reported.

Markandayan was arrested following a complaint by Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam North District Secretary Balasubramanian.

The complaint had alleged that Markandayan made the remarks during a public meeting organised by the DMK in Thoothukudi district on Saturday.

Markandayan has been booked on charges of criminal intimidation, intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace and statements conducing to public mischief under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, The Hindu reported.

DMK MP Kanimozhi accused the state government of acting in a high-handed manner, and demanded that Markandeyan be immediately released.

Markandayan is the second DMK legislator to be arrested for making allegedly derogatory remarks about the chief minister since the TVK government came to power in Tamil Nadu.

On July 3, DMK MLA and former Tamil Nadu minister Anitha R Radhakrishnan was arrested for making remarks about Vijay that a member of the state’s ruling party alleged were derogatory.

Edited by Neerad Pandharipande.