The Madras High Court on Tuesday closed the petition moved by two DMK functionaries who are facing criminal charges for allegedly posting false messages about the health of Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on their social media accounts, seeking protection against harassment at the hands of the police.
Closing the petition, Justice B. Rajendran said, “It is made clear that the petitioner shall not in any way give room to any rumours in public which will create a law and order situation and spread rumours regarding the ill-health of the Chief Minister who is undergoing treatment...as they are not qualified as such to give such opinion.”
However, recording the submission of the police that they had no intention to harass the petitioner, the judge said the police shall proceed with the investigation on the charges in accordance with law.
According to the petitioner, Navaneethakrishnan, on October 11 posted a poem, allegedly to be a “satire on the current political scenario of the State”, forwarded to him on his social media accounts.
The post was liked and shared by over 90 persons, including Rajeev Gandhi.
Submitting that he deleted the post the very next day , Mr. Navaneethakrishnan said based on a complaint filed by a local AIADMK functionary Velusamy Gounder, police registered an FIR against the petitioners under Sections 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, and language) and 505 (2) (statements conducing to public mischief) of the Indian Penal Code.
