Chennai: The personal appearance of DMDK leader Vijayakanth before eight trial courts which have issued summons seeking his presence on different dates in connection with defamation cases, was dispensed with by the Madras high court on Monday.
Public prosecutors had filed the defamation suits against him on behalf of the government in various courts in the state for making speeches against chief minister J. Jayalalithaa in various places on different occasions.
In his petition, Vijayakanth had challenged the legality of the government orders empowering the public prosecutor to initiate criminal defamation proceedings on behalf of the government.
His interim prayer was to dispense with his appearance in sessions courts in eight districts. A division bench, comprising justices S. Rajeswaran and P.N. Prakash. dispensed with Vijayakanth’s appearance before the sessions courts in Chennai, Nilgiris, Tirupur, Kanyakumari, Tiruvannamalai, Villupuram, Dindigul and Thanjavur.
The bench ordered notice on the main plea challenging permission granted to the public prosecutor to file criminal defamation suits against him on behalf of the government.
