A 28-year-old BJP IT wing functionary was arrested by the Nallipalayam police on Tuesday for allegedly posting content on social media that targeted a minority community and referenced terrorism. The arrest has sparked political backlash from BJP leaders, who accused the ruling DMK government of misusing state machinery to suppress dissent.
S. Pravinraj of Muthukalippatti in Rasipuram taluk, had reportedly been absconding after posting a controversial message on 25 April 2025 from his pseudonymous X handle, “Sanghi Prince.” The post in question tagged a private television channel’s report and made comments interpreted as offensive towards a religious group.
The case is said to be about his social media post where Pravinraj is said to have claimed that a muslim was involved in the case where a person tried to derail a train by removing bolts from the railway track. However, upon investigation, the police arrested a sadhu named Om. Since there was no involvement of a person belonging to a minority community in the case, the police seem to have gone ahead with the case on Pravinraj.
Officials stated he had previously shared critical content targeting Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin as well.
Based on a complaint filed by the Namakkal Cybercrime Cell, the Nallipalayam police booked Pravinraj under Sections 196 and 346 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which pertain to promoting enmity between groups and tampering with property marks in a way that could cause harm.
He was taken into custody and produced before a magistrate on Tuesday.
Namakkal Superintendent of Police S. Rajesh Kannan issued a public warning urging citizens not to post content on social media that could provoke caste or communal tensions and threaten law and order.
Meanwhile, the arrest drew sharp condemnation from the BJP. TN BJP President Nainar Nagendran condemned the arrest. He wrote on his X handle, “I strongly condemn the arrest of our Tamil Nadu BJP functionary Mr. Praveen Raj by the DMK’s puppet department for criticizing those who carried out the terrorist attack in Bahalgam. After learning of the matter, I spoke with Mr. Praveen Raj’s father over the phone, expressed condolences to his family, and assured them that @BJP4Tamilnadu will stand by brother Praveen Raj legally to overcome this difficult situation.”
பஹல்காமில் தீவிரவாதத் தாக்குதல் நடத்தியவர்கள் குறித்து விமர்சித்ததற்காக நமது தமிழக பாஜக நிர்வாகி திரு. பிரவீன் ராஜ் அவர்கள் திமுகவின் ஏவல் துறையால் கைது செய்யப்பட்டிருப்பதை வன்மையாகக் கண்டிக்கிறேன்.
தகவலறிந்து தொலைபேசி வாயிலாக திரு. பிரவீன் ராஜ் அவர்களின் தந்தையுடன் உரையாடி… https://t.co/7HmlsxZMJk
— Nainar Nagenthiran (@NainarBJP) July 1, 2025
BJP leader and former president Annamalai, in a post on X, called the arrest “strongly condemnable,” alleging that the Tamil Nadu police were being used to shield the DMK government’s administrative shortcomings.
“The arrest of Mr. Pravinraj, associated with Tamil Nadu BJP, for a social media post is strongly condemnable. With thousands of law and order issues in Tamil Nadu, such as the increasing circulation of narcotic substances, sexual crimes against women and children, and the murder of elderly people living alone, isn’t it shameful for Chief Minister Mr. @mkstalin to use the Tamil Nadu police full-time to monitor social media, just to prevent the DMK government’s administrative failures from becoming a topic of discussion on social media platforms? Even when complaints are filed against DMK members who make derogatory remarks about the Honorable Prime Minister of India, Union Ministers, and BJP leaders, the government of Chief Minister Mr. @mkstalin merely watches without taking action. However, it is not right for them to continue this childish behavior of arresting BJP members for ordinary social media posts. Power and authority are not permanent.” Annamalai wrote.
சமூக வலைத்தளப் பதிவுக்காக, தமிழக பாஜகவைச் சார்ந்த திரு. பிரவீண் ராஜ் அவர்கள் கைது செய்யப்பட்டிருப்பது கடுமையாகக் கண்டிக்கத்தக்கது.
தமிழகத்தில் பெருகி வரும் போதைப் பொருள் புழக்கம், பெண்கள், குழந்தைகளுக்கு எதிரான பாலியல் குற்றங்கள், தனியாக வசிக்கும் முதியோர்கள் கொலை செய்யப்படுவது…
— K.Annamalai (@annamalai_k) July 2, 2025
In a lengthy post before his arrest, Pravinraj claimed he had been threatened for refusing to retract his statements on terrorism and alleged that police had previously harassed his family. He said that during an earlier arrest, he was placed in a jail cell alongside a convict in the 1998 Coimbatore bomb blasts case, where he was threatened again. Pravinraj also referred to the recent custodial death of Ajith Kumar in Sivaganga district, claiming he would be the “next Ajith Kumar,” but as a “victim of terrorism.” He also accused the police of attempting to intimidate him ahead of a court hearing related to an ongoing case. He wrote, “20 Police at my doorstep… I am the next Ajith Kumar…but this murder is not for jewellery, it is for speaking out against terrorists @NainarBJP @annamalai_k
13-05-2025: Pakistani terrorists, write an apology letter saying that I will no longer write that “those who carried out the Pahalgam terror attack are Islamic terrorists” I will not, I will meet you in court
22-05-2025: We never went to Pravin’s house, Judge Sir
22-05-2025: After watching the entire CCTV, Judge asks: – Then what is this? Why did you lie in court? We are going to take departmental action
25-06-2025: Yes sir, there is an FIR
That day, when I was not at home, the intention of the police that is under Stalin was to come and threaten my parents… Was it because I should not speak against the terrorist? Or was it because I should not speak against Pakistan?
1-07-2025: Action against the police will be taken to court this evening
This morning: 20 policemen at the gate saying that we will arrest the man who spoke against the terrorists.
I have been on bail for a month for a case that was not filed…
Are you afraid of the Madras High Court today and trying to save your job by coming to my house and speaking in support of the terrorists…?
Or if I withdraw the case that is coming up for hearing today, will justice be ruined if I am arrested as a precaution so that the police’s speech in support of the terrorists does not come out in the open? @mkstalin @tnpoliceoffl
Note: – I have never told anyone this before.
When I was first arrested, I was locked up in the cell of the Coimbatore bomb blast terrorist in Trichy jail and threatened by him, saying that this time even if I die, I will be happy for the nation, and I will never apologize for speaking against the terrorists.”
20 போலீஸ் வீட்டு முன்னாள்…
நான் அடுத்த அஜித் குமார்…ஆனால் இந்த கொலை நகைக்காக அல்ல, தீவிரவாதிகளை எதிர்த்து பேசியதற்காக இருக்கும் @NainarBJP@annamalai_k
13-05-2025 : பாகிஸ்தான் தீவிரவாதிகள், "பகல்காம் தாக்குதலை நடத்தவர்களை இஸ்லாமிய தீவிரவாதிகள்" என இனி எழுத மாட்டேன் என… pic.twitter.com/7mYy8PBNMK
— Sanghi Prince 🚩 (@SanghiPrince) July 1, 2025
District-level BJP members have echoed Annamalai’s concerns, calling the arrest an example of political vendetta.
(With inputs from Times of India)
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