A 40-year-old man was arrested by the Salem city police on Friday (June 12, 2026) night on charges of sexually assaulting a woman and threatening to release an obscene video.

An audio clip went viral on social media platforms on Friday in which a woman alleged that a grocery shop owner, M. Manikandan, 40, who is an open supporter of the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), had sexually assaulted her, recorded the act on his mobile phone, and threatened to release the video online. She further alleged that she found several obscene videos of other women on his phone. According to her, she had managed to delete around 50 such videos from the device a few months earlier while she was staying with him.

Police sources said they received a complaint from the woman. Based on the complaint and the audio clip, the Salem city police arrested Manikandan, a resident of Chinna Puthur in Kondalampatti, and remanded him in judicial custody. The police also seized his mobile phone and found three obscene videos on the device.

The police are also verifying the clips to identify the women in them, the sources added.

Meanwhile, in a statement, TVK Salem South District secretary R.S. Manikandan said the accused was not associated with the party and did not hold any position in it.