Corporation councillor willing to express regret for abusing and body shaming Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay, her counsel tells Madras High Court

Sudha Deenadayan, a Greater Chennai Corporation councillor from the DMK, is prepared to file an affidavit acknowledging responsibility for abusing and body shaming Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay by contrasting his appearance with that of his predecessor, M.K. Stalin, her legal representative revealed to the Madras High Court on October 28, 2026.

During a hearing, the councillor's attorney informed Justice N. Ramesh that her party's deputy general secretary, Kanimozhi Rajathi Karunanidhi, had disapproved of the councillor's remarks made during a women's wing event in Chennai on October 7, 2026. Consequently, the councillor expressed remorse for her actions.

When the judge questioned whether the councillor's apology should be made in a public setting, considering that a viral video clip of her speech prompted the need for such an apology, the petitioner's legal counsel requested an additional day to file the affidavit. The court granted the request and postponed the hearing to October 29, 2026.

The State Public Prosecutor, R. John Sathyan, argued against the councillor's request for anticipatory bail, stating that her offenses, for which a First Information Report (FIR) was filed at the Esplanade police station on October 19, 2026, directly apply. Sathyan contended that online disputes often escalate to physical confrontations, as evidenced by the nature of the words used in this case.

He emphasized that the gravity of the councillor's actions has been proven beyond doubt, as her own leader, Kanimozhi Rajathi Karunanidhi, failed to acknowledge her remarks.

Sathyan also questioned the councillor's refusal to attend two inquiries regarding her behavior, citing her medical treatment in Bengaluru as the reason. He asked why she felt comfortable enough to insult the Chief Minister but unwilling to face the consequences through the inquiry process.