Chennai: The Madras high court has admitted an appeal filed by actor-producer Vishal, which sought to set aside an order of a single judge, upholding the resolution passed by the Tamil Film Producers Council, suspending him for three months for his alleged remarks against office-bearers of TFPC. Admitting the appeal, a division bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice M.Sundar said, “At this stage, senior counsel for Tamil Film Producers executive committee and counsel for TFPC would like to obtain some instructions as to whether they would like to invite an order or compromise the matter. List on February 3”.
In his appeal, Vishal also sought to restrain the TFPC from interfering with his right in continuing to be a member of TFPC. Vishal contended that the single judge failed to note that he had clarified that the contents of the interview to the Tamil Magazine were not made with any intention to malign or hurt anybody’s feelings and therefore, it will not attract the provisions of the bye-laws. The judge also failed to note that the members of the TFPC have a right to criticise the functioning of the elected body and elected body was expected to view the criticism impartially and should not act in a bias manner against the members for such bona fide opinion, he added.
He said the single judge also failed to note that his suspension was made with malafide intentions and vindictiveness due to the fact that the TFPC openly supported and canvassed against him and his team in the Nadigar Sangam election and with his victory in the said election, the TFPC developed an animosity towards him and was waiting for an opportunity to victimize him. Moreover the suspension order was passed with the only objective to defame and deny him his right to contest in the TFPC elections, he added.
