CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Wednesday imposed cost of Rs 1 lakh on the Tamil Film Producers’ Council (TFPC) for failing to submit written arguments on a defamation suit preferred by actor Simbu alias TR Silambharasan.
Taking a serious view on the failure to submit the arguments, Justice P Velmurugan imposed the cost on TFPC and directed it to pay the amount to the Registry by March 31. He posted the case to April 1. Simbu filed the defamation suit in 2019 against the producer of his film Anbanavan Asarathavan Adangadhavan, Michael Royappan, alleging the latter had brought disrepute to his image among the public by making defamatory remarks over the loss incurred by the film.
Later, the actor impleaded as party respondents South Indian Artistes Association, TFPC and actor Vishal, who was then heading TFPC and had intervened in the dispute between Simbu and Royappan. While Simbu alleged the producer failed to pay him his dues for acting in the film, Royappan approached the TFPC seeking compensation from the actor for the huge loss the film incurred. He also allegedly accused the actor of interfering unnecessarily with the screenplay and blamed it for the loss. Both had indulged in a war of words by trading charges.
‘Remove caste names from school’
Madurai: The Madurai Bench of High Court ordered the Virudhunagar district administration to remove caste names from the gate of the government school and from the door of the community hall in Anaithalappatti village. Justice GK Ilanthiraiyan passed the order on a petition filed by V Krishnamoorthi, seeking to remove the names. The photographs submitted showed the names of a caste written on the gates and doors of buildings meant for public use, the judge noted. “The district administration has to remove the names without delay and file a status report before March 14,” the judge said.