The Tamil Nadu government has filed defamation complaints against the Leader of Opposition and AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K .Palaniswami and BJP state president K. Annamalai accusing them of making derogatory statements defaming the government and linking Chief Minister M.K. Stalin with the recent seizure of pseudoephedrine in New Delhi.
The complaints were filed before the Principal Sessions Court by the City Public Prosecutor G. Devarajan on behalf of the State government seeking to punish the Mr. Palaniswami and Mr. Annamalai under Sections - 499 (Defamation) and 500 (Punishment for Defamation). The complainant prayed the court to take cognizance of these complaints and proceed against them.
One of the complaints said Mr. Palaniswami had addressed a press conference on March 8, which was published / exhibited on YouTube platform on March 8 wherein he had made defamatory statements intending to harm the reputation of Mr. Stalin in respect of his conduct in the discharge of his public functions. The AIADMK leader had alleged the Chief Minister was involved in the distribution of contraband Pseudoephedrine, by aiding drug peddlers.
Another complaint said Mr. Annamalai circulated a video of his speech on social media platform X on February 29 and made defamatory statements intending to harm the reputation of the Chief Minister in the eyes of his peers and the general public, with the malicious intent of obtaining unjust political advantage.
Mr. Devarajan submitted that the above-mentioned defamatory speeches are not only devoid of truth and devoid of good faith, but it has been deliberately crafted to undermine the public interest.
