Overview
- The III Metropolitan Magistrate at George Town issued the non‑bailable warrant on Thursday, August 6, 2026, and directed police to arrest and produce Ponmudy before the court by September 2, 2026.
- Magistrate C. Sundarapandian dismissed Ponmudy’s request to be excused from personal appearance because no medical records were shown and the court found his absence would hinder proceedings.
- The case grows from a speech delivered in April 2025 that was later uploaded online and a private complaint by BJP councillor Uma Anandan alleging the remarks hurt religious feelings and promoted enmity.
- Ponmudy had asked the Madras High Court to quash the magistrate’s cognisance but the High Court refused in July and directed the trial court to complete the trial within six months.
- The charges invoke specific provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita related to promoting enmity and outraging religious feelings and the magistrate’s warrant signals a shift from High Court scrutiny to active, enforced trial proceedings with clear political stakes.