Chennai: TNCC president E.V.K.S. Elangovan appeared before the principal sessions judge court here on Tuesday in connection with a defamation case against him filed by the state government.
On behalf of ministers for highways and minor ports, Edappadi. K. Palaniswami and for health C. Vijaya Baskar, city public prosecutor M.L. Jegan had filed two separate complaints against Elangovan in April for speaking against the ministers.
Jegan had filed the case also against Editor, K. Asokan, Publisher N. Ram, and Printer, V. Ravi, of the Tamil edition of ‘The Hindu’ for publishing the news item. Principal sessions judge N. Authinathan had summoned them to appear before the court on Tuesday.When the matter came up, Elangovan, Ravi and Asokan appeared. Elangovan’s counsel G. Masilamani and A.P. Suryaprakasam filed an affidavit stating that Elangovan was TNCC president and being an Opposition leader it was his fundamental right and democratic duty to expose the misdeeds of the government.
Elangovan had been victimised for his criticism.Seeking the dismissal of the complaints, counsel argued that the Constitutional validity of Section 199 Cr.P.C was under scrutiny in the Supreme Court.
The apex court had granted an interim stay in several such cases. In view of the pendency of the cases in the Supreme Court, the present case may be stayed for the time being and proceedings may be kept in abeyance till the outcome of Supreme Court verdict. The judge later adjourned the matter to June 20.
