Chennai, Sept 28 (BPNS)

Madras High court canceled a defamation case against Dr. Tamilisai Sounderarajan, Governor of Telangana holding additional charge of Lt Governor of Puducherry. The case was quashed on Tuesday.

The case was filed for an allegation leveled against Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) when she was Tamil Nadu state BJP president in 2017.

Justice M Dhandapani quashed the case on Tuesday on the basis of merit even though there was no representation either on behalf of Tamilisai Sounderarajan or Dhadi K. Karthikeyan of the VCK even after adjourning the hearing on quashing application on multiple occasions.

Tamilisai had petitioned the Madras High Court in 2018 with a plea to quash the defamation case. However even after the case was registered for four different days, she was not represented by anyone. The complainant Dhadi K. Karthikeyan also remained silent.

The Judge on pursuing the papers even after both the aggrieved parties remained silent found that the complaint was based on a statement of Tamiliasai that the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK)  and its founder leader, Thol Thirumavalavan was holding kangaroo courts and indulging in  land grabbing.

Judge also said that the Private complainant has not mentioned that he was authorized by Thol Thirumavalavan or the VCK to file the case.

The court while quashing the proceedings said, “The respondent (Dhadi K. Karthikeyan) has on his own accord and on reasons best known to him, has thought it fit to file the private complaint. The respondent not being the person affected, the invocation of Section 500 (criminal defamation ) of the Indian Penal Code does not merit acceptance.”

The court also observed, “The complaint is nothing but to gain political publicity at the expense of judicial time.”