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HC exempts Karunanidhi from appearance in Jaya defamation court
DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi on Monday was granted exemption from personal appearance in a defamation case filed by chief minister J Jayalalithaa for his statement criticising her government in statement in Murasoli journal.
DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi on Monday was granted exemption from personal appearance in a defamation case filed by chief minister J Jayalalithaa for his statement criticising her government in statement in Murasoli journal.
The 92-year-old former chief minister spent just 30 seconds inside the court room located near the Madras high court. After his appearance, the case was posted for March 10 in which the DMK supremo need not appear in person as his plea for exemption was granted.
Later speaking to the media, Karunanidhi said it was the habit of the chief minister to file defamation cases against anyone criticising the government.
“What is defamatory in that is we do not know. Only the government knows,” he said.
Anybody writing against the government or talking against the government has defamation cases slapped, he said.
The government had filed a case against Karunanidhi in November last year after his statement, containing matter from an article appearing in Ananda Vikatan magazine, was printed in the DMK mouthpiece Murasoli daily.
Jayalalithaa had also filed a case against Ananda Vikatan.
Justice will prevail, Karunanidhi said in response to a question during the brief interaction with media persons at the court premises.
