Yet again, the Tamil Nadu government’s official “fact-check unit,” TN Fact Check, has been caught spreading misinformation at the taxpayer’s expense. This time, the state fact-checker cited old data of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) cases filed to falsely bolster the DMK government’s narrative.
On February 3, 2025, an 18-year-old girl from West Bengal was abducted and sexually assaulted near Kilambakkam bus terminus. She had arrived to board another bus when an auto driver forcibly took her. Two others joined him, threatening her with a knife before assaulting her in the moving vehicle. Nearby residents alerted the police and a patrol team from Tambaram quickly pursued the autorickshaw, but the driver fled into a narrow street in Nerkundram where he and his accomplices abandoned the victim. The girl was then assisted by an auto-rickshaw driver, S. Mohan, from Triplicane, who took her to Madha Koil Street near Koyambedu, where she was eventually rescued by the police.
In response to the incident, Tamil Nadu BJP chief K. Annamalai condemned the MK Stalin-led DMK government, stating that sexual assault had become a “horrifying reality” in the state. He criticized the government’s handling of crime, particularly the rise in drug availability and the decline in arrests pertaining to NDPS cases.
“Sexual assault across TN has become a horrifying reality, with drugs becoming an easily accessible commodity. However, the number of arrests made in NDPS cases in TN in the last three years, between 2022 and 2024, was only 1122. In 2021 (in one year), the total number of arrests in NDPS cases was 9632. The sale of Ganja & Methamphetamine is on the rise in TN but the arrests are on the decline. How? Has the TN Govt deliberately become complacent to give drug peddlers a free run? How many more victims before authorities ensure safer streets for our sisters???“, the BJP leader had shared on his social media.
An 18-year-old girl was abducted in an auto rickshaw outside the Kalaignar Centenary Bus Terminus in Kilambakkam and was sexually assaulted. She was saved by a good samaritan who dialled the police control room after hearing the girl’s cry for help.
Sexual assault across TN has… pic.twitter.com/Wa2AvsYybV
— K.Annamalai (@annamalai_k) February 5, 2025
Responding to Annamalai’s post on X, the DMK government’s official “fact-check unit” – TN Fact Check – claimed that the arrest account given by the BJP leader was false.
It claimed that according to Tamil Nadu police department, 31,946 cases were registered and 48,698 arrests were made under the NDPS Act in the last three years with 16325 arrests in 2022, 14470 arrests in 2023 and 17903 arrests in 2024.
However, the latest provisional data from the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), which compiles drug seizure statistics from all Drug Law Enforcement Agencies (DLEAs), reveals a steady decline in NDPS-related arrests from 2019 to 2024.
Other Instances Of Taxpayer-Funded “Fact-Check Unit” Peddling Misinformation
This is not the first time that the Dravidian Model “fact-check unit” has peddled misinformation to buttress the DMK government.
In November 2024, TN Fact-Check “Mission Director” Iyan Karthikeyan was caught peddling misinformation regarding the PM Vishwakarma scheme that supported the DMK version but completely distorted the clarification offered by the Tamil Nadu BJP.
In October 2024, it wrongly claimed that the Central Government is providing only ₹7,425 crores in funding for the Chennai Metro Rail instead of the actual ₹63,246 crores.
Previously on 24 January 2024, The official Tamil Nadu BJP handle released a video alleging severe food shortages at the MGR Stadium in Madurai, claiming athletes were provided only a chapati and a half-boiled egg. Athletes and coaches raised concerns about the inadequate food portions, with reports indicating a private contractor managing the food arrangements. The district administration, including Collector Sangeetha, intervened, assuring prompt resolution of the issues within a day. CPI-M MP Su. Venkatesan emphasized the potential harm to Tamil Nadu’s reputation. However, the official fact-check team of the DMK government refuted the claims, labeling them as fake news.
On 15 January 2024, A statement from the Directorate of Information and Public Relations (DIPR) acknowledged inaccuracies in historical details related to E.V. Ramasamy (EVR), known as ‘Periyar.’ The errors included the claim that Periyar visited Anna University on 16 July 1920 instead of the correct date, 16 July 1970. Additionally, discrepancies were found in stating Periyar’s birthday as 17 September 1879, a Wednesday, whereas computer-generated information in the statement indicated a Saturday. The release also falsely attributed a quote about cell phones to Periyar, whereas it was originally made by the renowned scientist and inventor Nikola Tesla.
In November 2023, when allegations of Aavin reducing fat content in the green packet milk surfaced, instead of proving that the milk contained a specific amount of fat as claimed or other details that pertained to the topic of discussion, the FCU’s Mission Director ended up fact-checking the “container” in which the sample was received.
About TN Fact Check
The DMK government in Tamil Nadu has faced criticism for establishing a state-run Fact-Check Unit which does selective fact-checking targeting opposition voices. Critics allege that this unit, headed by former and Dravidian propagandist YouTuber Iyan Karthikeyan, was created without transparency and aimed to crack down on dissent. Concerns have been raised about the lack of public notice for job recruitment and potential favouritism in appointments, sparking allegations of suppressing free speech and to cover-up government fallacies. Iyan Karthikeyan who is the “Mission Director” of this state government unit takes ₹3 lakh of taxpayer money as monthly salary. This is more than This is more than what the Director of Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) earns. A public interest litigation (PIL) has been filed against the unit in the Madras High Court, challenging its constitutionality.
Subscribe to our channels on Telegram, WhatsApp, and Instagram and get the best stories of the day delivered to you personally.