HC slaps Rs 25k fine on Sun Pictures for delay in counter

Madras High Court today imposed a fine of Rs 25,000 on Sun Pictures owned by media baron Kalanidhi Maran for a five-year delay in filing its counter to a plea that alleged that the company had used plagiarised story line for Rajinikanth and Aishwarya Rai starrer 'Enthiran' released in 2010.
When the condone delay plea of Sun Pictures came up for hearing, Justice M Sathyanarayanan asked its counsel why there was such inordinate delay in filing the counter affidavit.
"How do you expect the court to accept this after a delay of five years forfiling the counter," the Judge asked and directed Sun Pictures to pay a fine of Rs 25,000.

The money should be paid to the Government Leprosy Mission Hospital at Manamadurai, the Judge ordered and posted the matter to June 8 for further hearing.
Aarur Tamilnadan, a writer, has filed the petition in 2010 claiming that the producers have used his story "Jugiba" which was published in a Tamil weekly and claimed Rs 1 crore as compensation.