A 40-year-old man identified as M. Manikandan, a local functionary and open supporter of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), has been arrested by Salem City Police following allegations of sexual assault, blackmail, and the possession of obscene videos involving multiple women.
According to a report by Vikatan, the case came to light after an audio recording circulated widely on social media. In the recording, a woman alleged that Manikandan had sexually assaulted her, filmed the act on his mobile phone, and later threatened to release the footage online while also forcing her to have sexual relations with his friends. She also claimed to have discovered numerous intimate videos of other women stored on his device.
According to The Hindu report, she had previously accessed Manikandan’s phone several months ago and deleted dozens of videos that allegedly contained obscene recordings of women. Her allegations prompted police to initiate an inquiry.
Based on the complaint, Salem City Police arrested Manikandan, a resident of Chinna Puthur near Kondalampatti, and produced him before a court, which remanded him to judicial custody. Investigators also seized his mobile phone for forensic examination.
Police sources said an initial examination of the device revealed several objectionable video clips, and efforts are underway to identify the women featured in them. Authorities are also verifying claims that additional recordings may have existed previously. They’re also examining if he had also engaged some women in sex trade.
Investigators are examining allegations that Manikandan befriended financially vulnerable women by offering assistance in securing loans and other forms of financial support. Police suspect that he used these relationships to gain the women’s trust, record compromising videos, and subsequently intimidate them.
Officials are further probing claims that some women may have been coerced using the recordings and that others could have been subjected to broader forms of exploitation. These allegations remain under investigation, and police have not yet disclosed the full extent of the evidence collected.
The investigation is continuing, with authorities attempting to identify potential additional victims and determine whether any other individuals were involved in the alleged activities.
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