CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Thursday sued AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami and BJP’s state president K Annamalai for making “scandalous, defamatory statements”, by linking him to drug peddling in the wake of the arrest of Jaffer Sadiq, with an intention to harm the goodwill and reputation he has among the public.
The defamation petitions were filed through City Public Prosecutor G Devarajan at the Principal Sessions Court in Chennai. Referring to a March 8, 2024 press meet of Palaniswami, the petition stated that ‘significant harm’ has been caused to the ‘goodwill and reputation’ of the Chief Minister in the eyes of his peers and the general public with the ‘malicious intent of gaining unjust political advantage by linking him with the distribution of pseudoephedrine and aiding the drug peddlers.'
“The defamatory statement was made intending to harm the reputation of the CM in respect of his conduct in the discharge of his public function,” the petition stated.
It added that it is seeking to prosecute Palaniswami for his defamatory speech, which was made without any basis or evidence against the public servant / constitutional functionary since it amounted to defamation as defined under section 499 of the IPC.
A separate defamation petition was filed against Annamalai for similar reasons. Since the scandalous statements of both the leaders constituted defamation, having ‘a direct and reasonable nexus’ with the discharge of public functions of the Chief Minister; and so, it is punishable under section 500 of IPC, the petition said.
Enlisting the action initiated by the Chief Minister for eradicating drugs, the petition informed that during 2022, a total of 10,665 cases were detected resulting in the arrest of 14,934 persons including 19 foreign nationals and seizure of 28,383 kg of Ganja, 63,848 drug tablets and 98 kg of other drugs.
During the ‘Ganja and Gutkha operation 1.0’ launched from December 6, 2021 to January 5, 2022, a total of 1,272 cases under Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act were registered, resulting in the arrest of 1,221 persons and seizure of 2,299 kg of ganja and 23 kg of heroine.
During a similar operation from March 28, 2022 to April 27, 2022, a total 2,023 NDPS case were registered; 2,423 accused were arrested and 3,562 kg of ganja seized, the petition stated.
If further revealed that financial investigation has been initiated in 72 cases filed against narcotics offenders and 151 moveable and immovable properties all worth about Rs. 17.87 crore were seized.
As many as 4,994 bank accounts pertaining to the accused concerned with NDPS Act cases and their relatives or friends bearing balance of Rs. 2 crore were frozen under section 102 Cr.P.C.
In order to watch the activities of previous offenders involved in NDPS Cases, a total of 24,880 accused involved in cases from 2019 onwards have been listed out. Of which, about 12,000 accused are lodged in jails
A cyber Cell was set up in NIB CID with 3 computers and software sanctioned under the discretionary funds of the DGP. Moreover, it informed that a new wing - Enforcement Bureau-CID - has been established to crack down on illegal liquor and drug sales.
