The Judicial Magistrate Court, Madurai, directed the issuance of summons to the editor of Vikatan Publications and other senior colleagues of his in the editorial department, to appear in person on September 13, in connection with a defamation suit filed by a Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam functionary, Suresh Babu, here on Thursday.
In his petition, Mr. Suresh Babu stated he has been a member of the DMK for about two decades serving the public of Madurai.
Ulterior motive
However, with an ulterior motive, the Tamil magazine “Junior Vikatan” had published a news item in its issue dated August 8 dragging him into a controversy.
The news was not only baseless, wrong and malicious, but it had also tarnished his image, he said.
He filed the petition under IPC Section 500 (punishment for defamation – whoever defames another shall be punished with simple imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years or with fine or with both). The Judicial Magistrate, Jeyakumari Jemi Ratna, ordered issuance of summons, to the Junior Vikatan editor and staff in the editorial department including the reporter, to appear in person on September 13.
