Chennai: Chennai Cyber Crime Police issued summons to Nakkeeran Gopal, editor of the Tamil bi-weekly Nakkeeran on Friday. The summons were issued based on a complaint by Pollachi MLA and Deputy Speaker Pollachi Jayaraman, who alleged that Gopal defamed him and his family members. Jayaraman filed a complaint before the Cyber Crime, after the journalist released a 24-minute-long video allegedly linking him (Pollachi Jayaraman) and his sons to the sexual assault and extortion of a 19-year-old college student from Pollachi town.
Counsel for Gopal, Sivakumar, appeared before the Cyber Crime Police and explained that the editor was out of town. He said the summons to Gopal would not stand legal scrutiny.
In the complaint Jayaraman alleged that Nakkeeran Gopal spreads defamatory messages about him and his family. "If it is really defamatory, he can only seek legal recourse by filing a case of defamation or seeking compensation," said Sivakumar and noted that the case had first been transferred to the CB-CID and the subsequently to the CBI.
He said at a time when both CB-CID and CBI investigating, it raises suspicion when a case is filed in Chennai against Nakkeeran Gopal. We have told them to withdraw the summons since it will not stand legal scrutiny."
On March 11, Nakkeeran Gopal, in a video, alleged the involvement of Tamil Nadu Deputy Speaker Pollachi Jayaraman's sons in the sexual assault and extortion network. While MLA Pollachi Jayaraman has repeatedly denied any link to the crime.
