Madurai High Court Denies Anticipatory Bail for Kasturi Shankar in Controversial Remarks Case

The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court dismissed the anticipatory bail application of actress and television presenter Kasturi Shankar. Her petition stemmed from a case filed against her following controversial comments about the Telugu-speaking community in Tamil Nadu.

During Tuesday’s hearing, Justice Anand Venkatesh, who presided over the case, stated that Kasturi’s remarks were unnecessary and divisive. The judge emphasized the historical presence of Telugu-speaking people in Tamil Nadu, tracing back to the Madras Presidency era, and reaffirmed that they are an integral part of the state.

Kasturi’s legal defense argued that her comments aimed to highlight perceived inconsistencies within the ruling DMK party’s policies, adding that she had issued an apology. Despite this defense, the court upheld the dismissal, pointing to the provocative nature of her statements.

The case originated from a complaint lodged by a Telugu association, prompting the Madurai police to initiate proceedings. After the complaint, Kasturi reportedly went into hiding before filing for anticipatory bail.

The controversy erupted on November 3 at an event advocating for “legal protection for Brahmins.” Kasturi’s comments included claims that the Telugu-speaking population had “adopted a Tamil identity” and engaged in “divisive politics,” remarks that sparked widespread outrage.