TN police summons NTK chief Seeman in sexual harassment report filed by actor Vijayalakshmi

Tamil Nadu Police has summoned Naam Tamizhar Katchi (NTK) chief S Seeman to appear before it to probe sexual harassment charges levelled against him by actor Vijayalakshmi. 

The summon was served to Seeman, a self-professed Tamil nationalist, on Friday night. He was asked to appear before the police on Saturday, but the actor-turned-politician has conveyed to the police that he will appear before them on September 12 due to “prior commitments.” 

Vijayalakshmi has been levelling charges of sexual and mental harassment against Seeman for the past few years, and had filed a fresh complaint with the police last week. The actor has accused Seeman of marrying her secretly and cheating on her after having a sexual relationship.

The latest police action comes days after Vijayalakshmi recorded her statement against Seeman before a magistrate in neighbouring Tiruvallur district under Section 164 of Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC). Since Vijayalakshmi filed a fresh complaint, she was questioned earlier this week, police said, adding that they felt the need to enquire Seeman as well.

“She was questioned for six hours and we need certain clarifications from Seeman. We will inquire him when he appears before us,” a senior police officer said. 

Responding to allegations, Seeman said there was not even an “iota of truth” in Vijayalakshmi’s accusations. “I am waiting,” he had told reporters last week when asked about the fresh complaint filed against him. The NTK chief maintains that the allegations are being levelled against him as elections approach. 

Seeman, an actor- director, launched NTK in 2010 after the end of the civil war in Sri Lanka the previous year to “reclaim” the Tamil land and is considered the most controversial politician in the state for a slew of issues, including idolising now-defunct LTTE chief Velupillai Prabhakaran and his policy that political power should be vested only with “native Tamils” and not “outsiders.”

Though many of Seeman's policies sound impractical and absurd at times, NTK's acceptance among people is growing – from a mere 1.1 per cent vote share in its debut elections in 2016, the party secured nearly 4 per cent votes in 2019 Lok Sabha polls and increased it to 6.7 per cent in 2021 assembly polls, emerging as the third-largest party in terms of vote share.