TN: Court notice to Vaiko for remarks on CM

Chennai, Dec 29: A city court today ordered issue of notice to MDMK General Secretary Vaiko and two others in a defamation case filed by Tamil Nadu Electricity Minister Arcot N Veerasamy for his remarks against DMK head and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi.

The petition was filed by the minister yesterday.

When the case came up for hearing, Egmore Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Boothanathan ordered issue of summons to Mr Vaiko and two others from an English daily and adjourned it to January 12 next.

It may be recalled Mr Veerasamy had on December 25 said legal action would be taken against Mr Vaiko for blaming Mr Karunanidhi for differences of opinion among the MDMK top brass and against a daily for publishing the report.

He had described as a blatant lie Mr Vaiko's charge that Mr Karunanidhi was hatching a conspiracy to break up the MDMK by letting loose hooliganism in connivance with the police. 'It is a deliberate attempt to tarnish the image of Mr Karunanidhi', Mr Veerasamy contended.

Another defamation case was also filed against Mr Vaiko by the Tamil Nadu Government yesterday. It was filed by City Public Prosecutor Shahjahan before the Principal Sessions Court here.

In his complaint, Mr Shahjahan submitted that an English daily, in its issue dated December 25, published the statement of Mr Vaiko in which he charged the Chief Minister with malicious and per se defamatory words.

The statement of Mr Vaiko contained false and baseless allegations and it completely damaged and undermined the high reputation of the Chief Minister in the eye of party cadre and the general public, he said.

UNI

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