The judicial magistrate court in Udhagamandalam issued non-bailable warrants against eight actors from the Tamil film industry after they failed to appear before the court in connection with a defamation case.
According to advocate K. Vijayan, who was representing petitioner Rozario Mariya Soosai, the actors - Surya, Sarathkumar, Sathyaraj, Vivek, Arun Vijay, Sri Priya, Cheran and Vijay Kumar, had reportedly insulted a leading Tamil news daily and a journalist, following a report of prostitution in the Tamil film industry. The actors had spoken out against the publication at the South Indian Film Artistes Association meeting on October 7, 2009.
Mr. Rozario filed a private complaint under section 200 of the Code for Criminal Procedure, urging the court to register a case against the actors for defamation.
Meanwhile, the actors approached the Madras High Court and filed dispense and quash petitions, which were recently dismissed, said Mr. Vijayan.
As the actors failed to appear before the Judicial Magistrate Court in Udhagamandalam on May 15, 2017, the judge, Senthilkumar Rajavel, issued non-bailable warrants against them. The case has been adjourned till June 17.
