Kodanad estate break-in case: Palaniswami files defamation suit against former editor

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami on Wednesday filed a defamation suit in the Madras High Court against a former magazine editor over a video clip linking the AIADMK leader to the 2017 Kodanad estate break-in case.

Palaniswami sought Rs 1.10 crore as damages from Samuel Mathew, former Tehelka managing editor, and a direction from the court to restrain the media from publishing or telecasting the latter's interviews.

On January 11, Mathew released a 16-minute video in which two accused persons in the case, K V Sayan and Valayar Manoj, allegedly linked Palaniswami to the case.

Senior counsel Satish Parasaran, appearing for Palaniswami, made a mention before Justice K Kalyanasundram for urgent hearing of the suit.

It is expected to be taken up late Wednesday evening.

Palaniswami has rejected the allegations but the opposition Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) has been demanding his resignation.

The party has announced that it will hold a protest in front of the Raj Bhavan here on Thursday to demand action by Governor Banwarilal Purohit against Palaniswami.

On April 23, 2017, the security guard of the Kodanad estate, the late chief minister J Jayalalithaa's retreat home in the hilly district of the Nilgiris, was murdered in a robbery attempt by a 10-member gang.

It emerged during the probe that Jayalalithaa's former driver C Kanagaraj and Sayan had allegedly plotted the crime. A total of 10 people have been arrested in the case and a charge sheet has also been filed.

Later, Kanagaraj and Sayan's wife and daughter were killed in separate road accidents during the probe, even as another employee of the property was found dead, in a case of suspected suicide.