The Madras High Court on Tuesday quashed a defamation case against Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan in connection with an allegation levelled by her against Tamil Nadu party VCK when she was state BJP President in 2017.
Justice M. Dhandapani quashed the case on the basis of merit as there was no representation, either on behalf of Sounderarajan or Dhadi K. Karthikeyan of the VCK even after adjourning the hearing on quashing application on multiple occasions.
Soundararajan had moved the high court in 2018 to quash the defamation case. However even after the case was listed for hearing four different times, she was not represented by anyone. Complainant Karthikeyan also remained absent.
On perusing the papers even after both the aggrieved parties remained silent, Justice Dhandapani found that the complaint was based on a statement of Soundararajan alleging that the VCK and its founder leader, Thol Thirumavalavan, were holding ‘kangaroo courts’ and indulging in land grabbing.
He also said that the private complainant has not mentioned that he was authorised by Thirumavalavan or the VCK to file the case.
“The respondent (Dhadi K. Karthikeyan) has on his own accord and on reasons best known to him, has thought it fit to file the private complaint. The respondent not being the person affected, the invocation of Section 500 (criminal defamation) of the Indian Penal Code does not merit acceptance.
“The complaint is nothing but to gain political publicity at the expense of judicial time,” Justice Dhandapani ruled.