SALEM: Rebel AIADMK leader TTV Dhinakaran and 16 of his supporters were on Monday booked on sedition charges for publishing and distributing pamphlets that contained “defamatory remarks” against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami.
Besides Pugazhendi, P Vetrivel, former MLA, SE Venkatachalam and party functionary Saravanan, a case under various sections of IPC including 124A (Sedition) was filed against 20 unknown persons for distributing the pamphlet across Salem city.
The case was registered at the Annadanpatty police station in Salem and four persons, including Venkatachalam, have already been taken into custody. They have been booked under sections 143, 120B, 124A, 153, 500, 504 and 506 (2) sections of the IPC based on a complaint by KRS Saravanan, who alleged that the accused were found distributing the pamphlets.
The case was registered on Friday and the complaint says the pamphlets, which had Dhinakaran’s name, had “derogatory and defamatory remarks” against Modi and Palaniswami on various issues like Neet.
CBI should probe Jaya death: TTV
Rebel AIADMK leader TTV Dhinakaran on Monday demanded a CBI probe into former chief minister J. Jayalalithaa's death and wanted ministers making “contradictory statements” on her health and hospitalisation be brought under the ambit of the investigation.
Dhinakaran also alleged that doubts are being raised about Jayalalithaa's health and her 75-day stay at Apollo Hospitals only to “divert attention” from the failures of the EPS-OPS government. The rebel leader also said he was committed to “send packing” the “treacherous” government and hoped that new Governor Banwarilal Purohit would at least work in a non-partisan manner.”
Speaking to reporters, Dhinakaran also said the stay on disqualification of 18 MLAs owing allegiance to him was only a “temporary setback” and exuded confidence of winning the battle in the court.
“We want a CBI probe (into the death of Jayalalithaa). Only if the CBI probes the matter, former chief minister O. Panneerselvam and other ministers contradicting each other will be investigated properly. They need to be brought under the ambit of the probe for truth to come out,” Dhinakaran said.
He was responding to questions on the Justice A. Arumughaswamy panel constituted to probe the “circumstances leading to hospitalisation, treatment and death of” Jayalalithaa.
Dhinakaran said it was a known fact that Edappadi K Palaniswami has lost majority in the House and challenged him to resign his post and get elected by legislators once again.
“We will have no problem if he proves his majority on the floor of the House. Let him prove,” Dhinakaran said, while launching a frontal attack against the government on the rising incidence of dengue across the state.
“They (those in the government) are far worse than dengue and more dangerous than the disease itself. Their words and action show they are only bothered about the government. We can't expect any action from them,” he said.
