The Principal Sessions Court on Wednesday summoned DMK president M. Karunanidhi, treasurer M.K. Stalin, Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly and DMDK president Vijayakant and PMK founder S. Ramadoss to appear before it on different dates after taking on file defamation cases filed against them by the State Government.
After perusing records relating to five different defamation complaints, P. Kalaiarasan, Principal Sessions Judge, ordered the issue of summons to editors, printers, and publishers of dailies, including The Hindu , The Times of India, Tamil magazine Ananda Vikatan , and DMK party organ Murasoli to appear before the court in different dates in October.
The court issued summons to Mr. Karunanidhi and S. Selvam, printer, publisher and editor of Murasoli to appear before it on October 10. The case was filed by the State Government on August 10, in connection with the publication of a news item criticising Chief Minister Jayalalithaa’s stay at the Kodanad Estate in The Nilgiris.
Similarly, the court also ordered Mr. Stalin and the printer, publisher and editor of The Times of India to appear before it on October 10 in connection with yet another defamation case filed on August 8 alleging that the newspaper published a news item on the leader’s criticism of the Chief Minister’s stay at Kodanad.
Mr. Stalin and Mr. Selvam were summoned to appear on the same day in relating another case filed on August 16 against them for carrying Mr. Stalin’s criticism on the State Government filing defamation cases against newspapers and political leaders.
Taking another complaint on file, the court ordered issue of summons to the editor, printer and publisher of The Hindu and Mr. Vijayakant to appear before it on October 15. The State Government filed the case against them on August 6.
The court summoned Dr. Ramadoss to appear before it on October 9 in a defamation complaint against him for giving an interview to Ananda Vikatan .
The printer, publisher, editor and reporter were also summoned to appear on the same day. The case was filed by the State Government on August 13.
Meanwhile, the printer, publisher, editor and reporters of Tamil bi-weekly Junior Vikatan appeared before the Principal Sessions Court in connection with four different defamation cases filed by the government.
