TN min withdraws defamation case against Stalin, HC dismisses plea

The Madras High Court Wednesday dismissed as withdrawn a suit moved by Tamil Nadu Local Administration Minister S P Velumani, seeking to restrain DMK president M K Stalin from levelling allegations of corruption in corporation tenders against him.

When the plea came up for hearing, Velumani's counsel sought permission to withdraw the case.

Allowing the request, Justice R Subramanian dismissed the plea as withdrawn.

In earlier hearings, the court had refused to pass any gag order against Stalin.

Velumani's main charge was that Stalin had made several speeches during his election campaign in Coimbatore Lok Sabha constituency from April 4, alleging that the minister was involved in corruption relating to local body tenders and that an accused in the Pollachi sexual abuse case was closely associated with him.

In his suit, Velumani wanted the court to direct Stalin to pay Rs 1 crore as damages for defaming him and the state's ruling AIADMK through his speeches.

Velumani had submitted that the DMK president was levelling unsubstantiated and false charges against him.

Besides, Stalin had also claimed during the election campaign that an accused in the Pollachi sexual abuse case, 'Bar' Nagaraj, was a close associate of the minister, which was totally false, the suit had said.

The minister had also submitted that based on his complaint, police in Coimbatore had already registered criminal cases against Stalin for his "derogatory speeches".