E-Paper
EPS appears in court in a defamation case
DMK MP Dayanidhi Maran submitted that EPS, during the election campaign, made statements that he didn’t use 75% of his MP funds and hence defamed him
The leader of opposition in Tamil Nadu assembly and AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS) on Tuesday appeared before the Egmore metropolitan magistrate court in a defamation suit filed by Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) MP Dayanidhi Maran.
In his defamation complaint, Maran submitted that EPS, during the election campaign, made statements that he didn’t use 75% of his MP funds and hence defamed him. Maran is the incumbent lawmaker from Chennai Central parliamentary constituency. Tamil Nadu went to polls on April 19 in the first phase. Maran filed the defamation case under section 500 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), stating that EPS on April 15 had defamed him while campaigning for the Chennai Central candidate from his ally- Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK).
EPS appeared before the 13th Metropolitan Magistrate, who adjourned the case to June 27. EPS, Maran claimed without any evidence said that he had not even used 75% of the funds for the constituency. The petition accused EPS of defaming him and added that Maran had worked full time for the people of his constituency.
“Former chief minister Edapadi, even after knowing it is not true, stated that I didn’t completely use MPLAD (Members of Parliament Local Area Development Division) fund, to defame me,” Maran’s petition read. “He has said this with no evidence.” The DMK leader added that ₹17 crore had been allotted to his constituency with which he carried out several schemes for the welfare of the people of his constituency and out of this only ₹17 lakh is left.
Maran had warned EPS that if he did not issue an apology within 24-hours, he would file a criminal defamation case. EPS’ speech is false and baseless and hence he is liable for the damaging and malicious statements which has lowered his reputation, Maran said in his petition.
