Police have arrested YouTuber Jason Samuel Vijayakumar in connection with the death of financial influencer V Harish, alleging that he attempted to extort money from Harish and published defamatory videos that contributed to his distress.The arrest, announced by Tambaram City Police on Thursday, followed a complaint by Harish’s father and an investigation that police said included witness accounts and documentary evidence.Harish, 27, a Puducherry native who offered financial advice through his YouTube channel, Finance with Harish, had amassed 1.3 million followers. He died by suicide at his rented home in Kanathur on October 20, according to the police statement.His death followed the blocking of his social media accounts and a public dispute over his credentials to offer financial advice.Police alleged that Samuel, 30, threatened Harish in an attempt to extract money and posted defamatory videos about him on social media. The police statement linked those posts to the blocking of Harish’s account and alleged that the resulting distress contributed to his death.Also Read | Finance influencer V Harish dies in Chennai, police examine family’s cyberbullying claimsInvestigators said they relied on witness statements and documents before making the arrest.Kanathur police registered the case under Section 108 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita following the complaint by Harish’s father, J Vinayagam, 51. Police said Samuel would be produced before a judicial magistrate and that they would seek his remand in judicial custody.Story continues below this adSamuel had previously denied allegations of harassment in a social media post, saying he had questioned Harish’s qualifications and authorisation to provide financial advice.He alleged that Harish lacked registration as an investment adviser with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) and had misrepresented his registration with the Association of Mutual Funds in India.In his complaint, Vinayagam had asked police to preserve digital evidence, examine a video recorded by his son before his death and investigate the blocking of his accounts.The police statement did not detail the alleged demand for money or identify the documents and witness accounts on which investigators based the arrest.Arun Janardhanan is an experienced and authoritative Tamil Nadu correspondent for The Indian Express. Based in the state, his reporting combines ground-level access with long-form clarity, offering readers a nuanced understanding of South India’s political, judicial, and cultural life - work that reflects both depth of expertise and sustained authority. Expertise Geographic Focus: As Tamil Nadu Correspondent focused on politics, crime, faith and disputes, Janardhanan has been also reporting extensively on Sri Lanka, producing a decade-long body of work on its elections, governance, and the aftermath of the Easter Sunday bombings through detailed stories and interviews. Key Coverage Areas: State Politics and Governance: Close reporting on the DMK and AIADMK, the emergence of new political actors such as actor Vijay’s TVK, internal party churn, Centre–State tensions, and the role of the Governor. Legal and Judicial Affairs: Consistent coverage of the Madras High Court, including religion-linked disputes and cases involving state authority and civil liberties. Investigations: Deep-dive series on landmark cases and unresolved questions, including the Tirupati encounter and the Rajiv Gandhi assassination, alongside multiple investigative series from Tamil Nadu. Culture, Society, and Crisis: Reporting on cultural organisations, language debates, and disaster coverage—from cyclones to prolonged monsoon emergencies—anchored in on-the-ground detail. His reporting has been recognised with the Ramnath Goenka Award for Excellence in Journalism. Beyond journalism, Janardhanan is also a screenwriter; his Malayalam feature film Aarkkariyam was released in 2021. ... Read More