CHENNAI: AIADMK spokesperson and joint secretary of the party’s legal wing RM Babu Murugavel on Wednesday sent a defamation notice to state Assembly Speaker M Appavu demanding an apology and Rs 10 crore as compensation for claiming that 40 AIADMK MLAs were ready to switch alliance to the DMK in 2017.
Murugavel, in his notice, said the speaker should apologise for his remarks by calling a press meeting within 48 hours of receiving the legal notice, and pay Rs 10 crore to the AIADMK within 15 days failing which civil and criminal proceedings would be initiated.
In the notice sent to the speaker, the AIADMK spokesperson said the claim falls under the ambit of defamation. He said the allegation made by Appavu and his activities have created a strong opinion that he was acting as spokesperson of the ruling party when he was expected to act as a common legislative assembly member without bias or favouritism.
Stating that the assembly speaker’s allegation was false and caused an irreparable injury to the goodwill and trust that AIADMK as a political party has earned. Murugavel said the defamatory statement of the speaker became viral and leading newspapers reproduced it causing immense mental agony to the AIADMK and its members.