Kanimozhi demands action in Salem sexual assault case as TVK distances itself from accused
Synopsis
DMK MP Kanimozhi has invoked the Pollachi scandal in demanding accountability for a Salem man arrested for sexually assaulting a woman and allegedly threatening over 50 others with obscene videos. With TVK rushing to distance itself from the accused, the case is fast becoming a political flashpoint in Tamil Nadu.
Key Takeaways
Manikandan , 40 , a grocery shop owner from Chinna Puthur, Kondalampatti , was arrested by Salem city police for sexually assaulting a woman and threatening to leak recorded footage.
The woman alleged Manikandan had obscene videos of approximately 50 women on his phone; investigators recovered three such clips after his arrest.
DMK MP Kanimozhi called the reports 'shocking' on X and drew a parallel with the Pollachi sexual assault case , demanding strict punishment.
TVK Salem South District Secretary R.S.
Manikandan stated the accused held no official position in the party and was not a member of its organisational structure.
Manikandan has been remanded to judicial custody; police are continuing investigations to identify additional victims.
DMK Deputy General Secretary and Member of Parliament Kanimozhi on 13 June called for a thorough investigation and strict punishment in an alleged sexual exploitation case in Salem, Tamil Nadu, following the arrest of a man accused of sexually assaulting a woman and threatening to release obscene videos. The case has drawn sharp political attention after an audio clip of the complainant went viral on social media.
What the Case Involves
Salem city police arrested M. Manikandan, 40, a grocery shop owner from Chinna Puthur in Kondalampatti, late on Friday. He was booked on charges of sexually assaulting a woman, recording the act on his mobile phone, and threatening to circulate the footage online.
The woman, in the viral audio clip, alleged that Manikandan — known as an open supporter of the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) — had sexually assaulted her and subsequently used the recorded video as a tool of intimidation. She further alleged that while staying with him several months earlier, she discovered multiple obscene videos of other women on his device and managed to delete around 50 such clips at the time.
Investigators seized Manikandan's mobile phone and reportedly found three obscene video clips on the device. Police are currently examining the footage and working to identify the women in the videos as part of the ongoing probe. Manikandan was produced before a court, which remanded him to judicial custody.
Kanimozhi's Demand for Action
Describing the reports as 'shocking' in a post on X, Kanimozhi drew a direct parallel with the Pollachi sexual assault case — one of Tamil Nadu's most high-profile exploitation scandals — and cautioned the government against shielding those accused. 'We must ensure the safety of all affected women and make certain they receive the justice they deserve,' she said.
Her remarks signal pressure on the state administration to treat the Salem case with the same rigour as the Pollachi investigation, which had implicated multiple individuals and drew sustained public scrutiny.
TVK's Response
TVK Salem South District Secretary R.S. Manikandan issued a statement distancing the party from the accused. He clarified that the arrested individual held no official position in the TVK organisational structure and was not a registered member of the party.
This comes amid broader scrutiny of political affiliations in sexual assault cases in Tamil Nadu, where accused individuals being linked — even loosely — to ruling or prominent parties has previously complicated investigations.
What Investigators Are Probing
Police said further investigations are underway to determine whether additional victims are involved and to establish the full extent of the alleged offences. The focus remains on identifying the women in the recovered video clips and ascertaining whether the threat to release footage was carried out against any of them.
With Kanimozhi's intervention raising the political stakes, pressure is mounting on Salem police to deliver a transparent and expedited probe.
Point of View
But it sidesteps the more important question: how did someone with alleged access to dozens of victims operate undetected for months? The real test for Salem police is not just securing a conviction against one accused, but mapping the full extent of the exploitation network the woman's audio clip describes. Tamil Nadu has a poor track record of protecting complainants in high-profile sexual assault cases; how the administration responds here will be watched closely.
NationPress
3 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is M. Manikandan and why was he arrested in Salem?
M. Manikandan, 40, is a grocery shop owner from Chinna Puthur in Kondalampatti, Salem. He was arrested by Salem city police for allegedly sexually assaulting a woman, recording the act on his mobile phone, and threatening to circulate the footage online.
What did Kanimozhi say about the Salem sexual assault case?
DMK MP Kanimozhi described the reports as 'shocking' in a post on X and drew a parallel with the Pollachi sexual assault case. She demanded a proper investigation and strict punishment, warning the government against protecting those accused, and called for justice for all affected women.
Is the accused a member of TVK?
No, according to TVK Salem South District Secretary R.S. Manikandan, the arrested individual holds no official position in the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam's organisational structure and is not a registered party member.
How many women are believed to be affected in the Salem case?
The complainant alleged she found obscene videos of approximately 50 women on the accused's phone and deleted them at the time. Police recovered three such clips after his arrest and are working to identify the women in the footage to determine the full extent of the alleged offences.
What is the Pollachi case that Kanimozhi referenced?
The Pollachi sexual assault case was a major criminal case in Tamil Nadu in which a group of men were accused of luring, assaulting, and blackmailing women using recorded videos. It drew sustained public and political scrutiny and became a benchmark reference for exploitation cases in the state.
