HC refuses to quash defamation case against Tamil daily Editor

The Madras High Court on Tuesday dismissed a petition seeking quashing of a criminal defamation case filed against the Editor and Publisher of a Tammil daily in a lower court over an article on Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami.

Justice Anand Venkatesh directed petitioner R M R Ramesh, Editor and Publisher of 'Dinakaran', to execute a bond under section 88 of CrPC before the trial court and appear for questioning under 313 CrPC and at the time of passing final orders on the criminal defamation case.

The judge directed the Principal Judge, City Civil Court, to complete the trial within four months from the date of receipt the order.

The defamation proceedings against Ramesh had been initiated in the Principal Judge's court on complaint by the City Public Prosecutor who contended that the daily published an article which was defamatory to the chief minister.

The petitioner submitted that the article was written on basis of a tweet from personal handle of Palaniswami.

He contended that as the tweet was made from the personal handle of Palainswami and not on the official twitter page of the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, no sanction of prosecution can be granted against him.

Rejecting the contention, the judge dismissed the petition.