Chennai: Television actor T. Ravichandran has approached the Madras High Court seeking anticipatory bail after the Central Crime Branch (CCB) of Chennai police booked a case against him for allegedly issuing a death threat to Rajya Sabha member and Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) founder Kamal Haasan.
On Monday, Justice G. Jayachandran heard the plea and directed the government advocate to obtain details from the CCB before posting the case for further hearing on Wednesday.
Ravichandran told the court that the remarks he made during a YouTube interview had been “unintentional” and were not intended as a real threat.
The controversy began when Haasan, while speaking at the 15th anniversary celebrations of actor Suriya’s Agaram Foundation earlier this month, stressed the importance of education as a tool for social transformation.
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He noted that education was the “only weapon” capable of breaking what he described as the shackles of Sanatana Dharma.
Ravichandran, reacting in an interview with a YouTube channel, strongly objected to Haasan’s choice of words. He went on to warn that he would slit the MP’s throat if such remarks continued.
The statement triggered widespread criticism and alarm, leading MNM vice-president and retired IPS officer A.G. Mourya to lodge a formal complaint with the Greater Chennai Police Commissioner on August 10.
The complaint was forwarded to the CCB, which registered a First Information Report (FIR) against the actor.
In his bail petition, Ravichandran argued that the FIR had been registered without conducting a preliminary inquiry and claimed he was unaware of the specific crime number.
He further said he had no actual intention of harming Haasan, adding that he came from a “respectable family background” and was prepared to comply with any conditions the court may impose while considering his request for bail.
The High Court will take up the matter again on August 20 after hearing from the police.
