Four more persons have been arrested, including Seeman’s brother James Peter on Saturday, in addition to the 8 people held on Friday soon after the attack.

The actor, who has acted in scores of Malayalam and Tamil films, lives here with his former actor wife Parvati.

Seeman not available
Police have accused Seeman to be mainly responsible for instigating the attack on the actor. Seeman, who was to be questioned in the matter by the police, was not available and is now believed to have gone out of station.

Additional armed police personnel have been deployed for protection at the house of the actor, sources said.

The Attack
On Friday, Jayaram's house in Lakshmi Nagar was attacked by a group of people belonging to Naam Thamizhar outfit for his alleged derogatory comments about Tamil women in an interview to a Malayalam channel.

The activists damaged the windscreens of Jayaram’s Hyundai Accent parked under the portico, threw stones on the house and also set on fire a sofa kept for visitors nearby.

At the time of attack, the actor's wife, mother, daughter and domestic helps were in the house. They had to lock themselves in a room in order to protect themselves. The actor was away for a film shoot.

Valasaravakkam Inspector Murugesan and Sub-Inspector Rajaram were shifted out for not taking action to prevent the attack despite intelligence inputs.

The actor apologises
The actor is learnt to have apologized for his remarks after he returned to the city, saying he did not “intend to hurt anyone” by his comments.

Speaking on a TV channel, Jayaram pointed out that he had only “repeated” a film dialogue on the TV show “which was my mistake.”

Also, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi said that people should 'forget and forgive' Malayalam actor Jayaram's alleged derogatory remarks about Tamil women.

Actor’s remark now becomes a court case
Criminal defamation proceedings were initiated against the actor at a city court even as he is learnt to have apologised on a TV channel for his statement.

A complaint registered by advocate A Indirani, secretary of the Pattali Makkal Katchi-affiliated Advocates Forum for Social Justice, said Jayaram had made the comments in a Malayalam television channel intentionally and that he had neither denied nor expressed regret for the remarks.

The matter is expected to be taken up for hearing by the XIV metropolitan magistrate here on Monday for hearing.