Madras HC rejects plea to book Rajinikanth over remarks on Sterlite stir

Chennai: The Madras High Court on Wednesday refused to entertain a petition seeking registration of a police complaint against actor Rajinikanth over his remarks that anti- social elements had infiltrated the recent protest against Sterlite’s copper plant in Tuticorin.

Justice P N Prakash dismissed the petition as not maintainable and referred to his own order of September 27, 2016 wherein he had made it clear that the high court cannot be approached directly for registration of FIR.

Instead, the aggrieved person should first approach the station house officer, then the superintendent of police and the magistrate court, he had said in the judgment. In view of the order, the judge said the petition of

D Silambarasan of Hosur seeking a direction to police to file an FIR against the actor was not maintainable.

However, the judge said the petitioner was at liberty to work out his remedy in the manner as ordered by him earlier.

The petitioner contended that Rajinikanth’s remarks after visiting Tuticorin on May 30 amounted to defaming the ‘peaceful’ protesters.

He said he had approached the inspector of Police, Hosur, with a complaint but it was not accepted.

The petitioner said he had then sent the complaint to the inspector of police and superintendent of police, Krishnagiri district, by registered post, but there was no response. Rajinikanth had blamed anti-social elements for the violence during the protests against Sterlite that resulted in 13 deaths in police firing on May 22 and 23.

He had said the “problem started” only after police came under attack from such anti-social elements. Various quarters had criticised Rajinikanth for the remarks.