HC dismisses Jaya's petition to quash defamation suit

Chennai, Oct 13 (UNI) The Madras High Court today dismissed a petition filed by former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and AIADMK General Secretary J Jayalalithaa, seeking to quash a defamation suit filed against her by ''Nakkeeran'' Editor R Gopal.

Dismissing Ms Jayalalithaa's petition, Mr Justice P R Sivakumar said the defamation suit could not be quashed at this stage, as the contention made by the petitioner was a matter of trial.

The judge directed Ms Jayalalithaa to appear for trial in the case and make her submissions before the trial court.

Mr Gopal had filed a defamation suit against the AIADMK leader in 2001 for her making derogatory remarks against him and sought a compensation of Rs 10 lakh.

In 2003, when Ms Jayalalithaa was the Chief Minister, the High Court, had in ex-parte order, directed her to pay the compensation of Rs 10 lakh to Mr Gopal.

Strangely, Ms Jayalalithaa became aware of this only when the execution order came to her notice this year.

Immediately, she filed a petition to condole the delay in filing an appeal against the ex-parte order and sought to set aside the same.

A single judge, on June 10, this year, set aside the ex-parte order after which, Ms Jayalalithaa filed the present petition, seeking to quash the suit filed by Mr Gopal.

She submitted that Mr Gopal had filed the defamation suit out of political enmity and pleaded the court to dismiss the same.

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