Defamation case: Vijaykanth exempted from personal appearance

Madras High Court today dispensed with the personal appearance of actor-turned politician Vijaykanth of DMDK in a defamation case filed against him by the Tamil Nadu Government in a court in Namakkal.
A Division Bench comprising Justice R Sudhakar and Justice K K Sasidharan allowed a petition by Vijaykanth, pointing out that the court had granted similar relief in petitions filed by him earlier challenging the constitutional validity of CrPC Section 199(2) which enables the government to file defamation cases and the proceedings before the competent Criminal Court in another case of defamation.
"Accordingly the appearance of the Petitioner before the Learned Principal District and Sessions Judge, Namakkal is dispensed until further orders. Post this writ petition along with other two petitions after summer vacation," it said.

In his present petition, Vijaykanth submitted that the Namakkal court had directed him to appear before it on June 3 in connection with the defamation case filed by city public prosecutor over his speech at a public meeting in the town on August 17, 2012 criticising Chief Minister Jayalalithaa with regard to some pending cases against her.
A number of defamation cases have been filed against Vijaykanth by the state government.