A Metropolitan Magistrate Court in Chennai has issued summons to Tamil Nadu BJP president K. Annamalai, directing him to appear before the court on July 14. The order was passed by the court after taking cognizance of a criminal defamation complaint filed by DMK party treasurer and Member of Parliament, T.R. Baalu.
The magistrate has ordered the initiation of the legal process of the case and hence, has directed Mr. Annamalai to appear.
In May, Mr. Baalu had filed a defamation complaint at the city court at Saidapet seeking to penalise Mr. Annamalai who, he claims, defamed him at a press conference.
On June 9, Mr. Baalu deposed before the court and gave a sworn statement. Senior advocate P. Wilson who appeared and argued on behalf of Mr. Baalu said that Mr. Annamalai, on April 14 at a press meet, had defamed Mr. Baalu through misleading statements, and further in his reply notice made more scandalous statements, implying that Mr. Baalu had been dropped by then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh from the Cabinet.
Mr. Wilson urged the court to take the complaint on file and issue a summons to Mr. Annamalai. Accepting his submission and finding that the offence was prima facie made out, the XVII Metropolitan Magistrate issued the summons to Mr. Annamalai.
