The Madras High Court Bench here on Thursday directed Cyber Crime Cell, Madurai city, to suo motu register a First Information Report (FIR) with respect to misuse of its name in the social media to get M. Bhuvaneshwaran replaced with Tourism Minister S.P. Shunmuganathan as All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) candidate for Srivaikundam constituency.
Taking serious note of a false message circulated on WhatsApp stating that the High Court had passed an adverse order against Mr. Bhuvaneshwaran in an attempt-to-murder case registered against him in 2012, Justice P.N. Prakash directed Assistant Commissioner of Police Jesu Jeyapaul to trace the culprits who had circulated the message and prosecute them.
During the course of arguments, Mr. Bhuvaneshwaran’s counsel S.R. Rajagopal informed the court that the AIADMK had fielded his client as its candidate for Srivaikundam constituency in the first list of candidates released on April 4.
Party leader and Chief Minister Jayalalithaa too sought votes for him during an election campaign meeting held at Aruppukottai in Virudhunagar district on Friday.
Meanwhile, a false message was circulated through WhatsApp claiming that the High Court had directed Thennilai police in Karur district to expedite the probe in the 2012 attempt-to-murder case. The message was also communicated to the party high command and it led to the candidate being replaced with Mr. Shunmuganathan on Monday, he claimed.
Based on rumour, Bhuvaneshwaran was replaced with Minister Shunmuganathan
