Defamation case: Vijayakanth, M K Stalin and Anbumani Ramadoss summoned

Chennai: The Principal Sessions Court here on Friday directed DMDK chief Vijayakanth, DMK treasurer M.K Stalin, PMK’s Chief Ministerial candidate, Anbumani Ramadoss, Editor and printers of Tamil dailies – Murasoli and Dinamalar and English daily Economic Times to appear before the court for making defamatory statements against the government for handling the December deluge.

When the defamation complaint filed Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa came up for hearing, principal judge P.Rajamanickam, (in charge) directed Vijayakanth to appear on April 25.

In the complaint filed on Jayalalithaa’s behalf, city public prosecutor M.L. Jagan said the DMDK leader made false and malicious statements against government stating the Chennai flood was caused artificially. Citing a Central committee’s report, Vijaykanth levelled the allegations against the government. The statement was published in DMK’s mouthpiece, ‘Murasoli’ on February 4.

Stalin and Anbumani Ramadoss also made false and malicious remarks against the government stating that the flood was manmade. On behalf of revenue minister R.B. Udhaya Kumar, Jagan filed the defamation complaint against the two. The judge directed Stalin to appear before the court on April 18 and Anbumani Ramadoss on April 21.