CHENNAI: Assembly Speaker M Appavu appeared in person at the additional special court for MP/MLA cases on Friday in connection with a defamation case filed against him by AIADMK spokesperson Babu Murugavel.
During the previous hearing, the counsel representing Babu had apprised the court that the speaker had deliberately failed to appear before the court even after being issued a summon. Taking strong note of it, the special court had issued a fresh summon to Appavu to appear in person on September 13, and Appavu complied accordingly.
Appearing in person, he told the court that he did not receive any court summons. He stated that he has great respect and faith in courts and it would be wrong to say that he had refused to receive the court summon. Subsequently, speaking to reporters at the court premises, Appavu said that he had not received any summons when he was in Chennai or in his village in Tirunelveli district.
The defamation case was filed against Speaker Appavu for bringing disrepute to the AIADMK by allegedly stating, in a public meeting, that 40 MLAs of the party were ready to join DMK following the demise of J Jayalalithaa, but M K Stalin, then leader of opposition, had refused to accept their offer.
Judge G Jayavel adjourned the matter to September 26.