Overview
- Mayor R. Priya submitted a list of allegedly offending social media accounts and lodged a written complaint with Chennai police after first filing online on July 24, prompting formal police action.
- Greater Chennai Police registered a case and Commissioner A. Amalraj directed the Cyber Crime Wing to investigate the accounts and digital evidence named in the complaint.
- Priya alleges a sustained smear campaign using morphed and obscene videos, selectively edited clips, defamatory posts and abusive messages that also reached her office by repeated calls and WhatsApp messages.
- Investigators are examining social posts, account activity, metadata and call records to verify ownership of several named X handles and to assess possible violations of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Information Technology Act.
- The mayor says the abuse intensified after the new state government took office and warns the targeting of elected women could deter political participation; the probe is active and no arrests or final findings have been announced.