Action Underway Against Online Attacks on Sitting Judge: TN DGP Informs Supreme Court

(By Syed Ali Taher Abedi)

Delhi,1, February, 2026-In a significant legal development, the Tamil Nadu Police has submitted a comprehensive affidavit to the Supreme Court of India addressing the surge of defamatory remarks directed at Justice G.R. Swaminathan of the Madras High Court (Madurai Bench).

This judicial response follows a Supreme Court directive issued on January 28, 2026, which mandated the state to account for its actions regarding a Public Interest Litigation (PIL). The PIL seeks stern action against protestors and social media users who allegedly launched a smear campaign against the judge following a controversial temple ruling.

The Core of the Controversy

The backlash twigs from a judicial order passed by Justice Swaminathan concerning the Thiruparankundram Subramaniya Swamy Hill Temple in Madurai. The judge had directed that the Karthigai Deepam be lit on the Deepa Thoon (Lamp Pillar), a move that triggered significant public debate and subsequent targeted harassment online.

Police Action and Legal Framework

The Cyber Crime Cell of the Greater Chennai Police has officially mobilized to curb the spread of “objectionable and derogatory” content. Key details of the enforcement include:

• Case Registration: Crime No. 14 of 2026 was registered on January 28, 2026.
• Legal Charges: The FIR invokes several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, and the Information Technology Act, 2000:
  • Section 196: Promoting enmity between different groups.
  • Section 221: Obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions (in the context of judicial dignity).
  • Section 267: Uttering words, etc., with deliberate intent to wound religious feelings.
  • Section 353 (1)(c) & 351 (2): Relating to criminal intimidation and statements conducing to public mischief.
  • Section 67 (IT Act): Punishment for publishing or transmitting obscene material in electronic form.

Current Status of Investigation

The Director General of Police (DGP) and the Greater Chennai Police have implemented a multi-platform monitoring strategy to identify the perpetrators.

Action Item	Details
Platform Monitoring	Scrutiny of X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, and YouTube for defamatory handles.
Notices Issued	Formal notices sent to Social Media Intermediaries (SMIs) to take down content.
Data Preservation	Requests made to preserve original URLs and metadata for evidentiary purposes.
Account Blocking	Orders issued to block accounts impersonating officials or spreading misinformation.
Identity Tracking	Requests sent to platforms to reveal the real-world identities of the handles involved.

Current Bottleneck: While the Tamil Nadu Police have initiated these requests, the affidavit notes that final replies from the tech intermediaries are still awaited. This delay currently hampers the ability of the Cyber Crime Cell to proceed with immediate arrests or further localized crackdowns.

The Supreme Court is expected to review this affidavit to determine if the state’s measures are sufficient to protect the sanctity of the judiciary and maintain public order.