Madurai: The Madras High Court today restrained the police from arresting AIADMK rebel leader TTV Dhinakaran in connection with a defamation case filed against him by a party MP, who is supporting Chief Minister K Palaniswami.

In an interim order, Justice S S Sundar of Madurai bench also barred the police from arresting actor and AIADMK functionary Senthil, cited as a co-accused in the case, and posted the matter to October 4 for further hearing.

He passed the interim order on a petition by Senthil who sought quashing of the FIR, registered recently on the basis of a complaint by Tiruchirappallai Lok Sabha member P Kumar, alleging political motive.

Based on the complaint, Crime Branch police in Tiruchirappalli has registered a case under various IPC sections against Senthil and Dhinakaran for allegedly making defamatory comments against the MP and threatening him.

Senthil in his petition submitted that the complainant had said the incident took place in Chennai and hence the police in Tiruchirappalli had no jurisdiction to register the complaint.

He alleged that the case had been registered without any preliminary investigation and the motive behind the complaint was political enmity.

Hence, the case should be quashed and investigation into the complaint should be stayed, he prayed.