Chennai: Recording the apology tendered by famous lyricist Vairamuthu, the Madras high court on Friday dismissed a petition filed by film financier S. Mukanchand Bothra, which requested the court to take action on its own motion against Vairamuthu for his alleged remarks against judges.
“We find that the speech is a general statement made by Vairamuthu and by no means could it be termed that the same was intended to malign a particular individual or institution, viz., the judges or the judiciary, but only an expression of the view that society is watching the judiciary, the watch-dog of the democratic system, with great respect and reverence and that it will hold the scales of justice aloft”, said a Division Bench comprising Justices R. Sudhakar and P. N. Prakash.
The bench said further Vairamuthu has clearly stated that he has absolute respect for the judiciary and an apology has also been tendered by him for the unintended hurt that his words may have caused, which shows that he has no disrespect for the institution as such and he holds the institution in high respect.
A reading of the orders dated October 13 and 28, 2015, passed by this court makes it clear that the court was not exercising suo motu powers to entertain the petition.
The Bench said, “Since the court has not taken suo motu proceedings and in the absence of consent of the Advocate General, which is a condition precedent for entertaining such a petition, as has been held by the Supreme Court in a catena of decisions, we have no hesitation in holding that the contempt petition is not maintainable.” Following a speech by Vairamuthu during a book release function on September 12, 2015, in honour of former judge P. S. Kailasam, Bothra filed the present petition.
