CHENNAI: The defamation cases filed against DMK MPs Kanimozhi and Dayanidhi Maran and former Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president EVKS Elangovan were quashed by the Madras High Court on Monday. The trio had been charged with making defamatory remarks against the previous AIADMK government and the then chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami.
Criminal defamation proceedings were initiated against Kanimozhi in 2018 by Palaniswami at the Villupuram district court for allegations levelled against him over an issue of waste disposal. The case was filed through the Public Prosecutor (PP). Kanimozhi challenged the case before the High Court and obtained a stay on the proceedings.
Appearing for her, senior counsel P Wilson contended that there cannot be protection from defamation in a case of corruption and the State cannot defend a corrupt chief minister through its resources, time, and machinery. He argued that the PP, an office of the State, was misused and abused to file cases against the Opposition.
Pursuant to an order of the incumbent chief minister to withdraw all defamation cases filed during the previous regime against political leaders, the court recorded the withdrawal order and quashed the case against Kanimozhi. Similarly, defamation cases against Dayanidhi Maran and EVKS Elangovan were quashed. The defamation case against Dayanidhi Maran was filed in a Chennai court in 2020. Three cases were filed against EVKS Elangovan. One was filed in 2013 and two in 2015 for alleged defamatory remarks.