The petition was filed after Annamalai released the DMK Files, in which he alleged that several DMK leaders were corrupt.
In the defamation petition, Stalin stated that Annamalai had made defamatory statements against him. (Creative Commons)
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin filed a defamation suit against BJP state president K Annamalai at the City Civil Court in Chennai on Wednesday, 10 May.
The suit was filed for leveling baseless allegations against the chief minister. Annamalai had, on 14 April, released what he termed the “DMK Files”, a slew of charges against the ruling party.
Admitting the petition, Sessions Judge Uma Maheswari adjourned the hearing for eight weeks.
Public Prosecutor G Devarajan filed the suit before the Principle District and Sessions Court Chennai after a government order was issued.
Devarajan submitted to the court that the government had accorded sanction to him for filing the complaint before the competent court.
The petition stated that Annamalai had made defamatory statements and exhibited videos at a news conference on 14 April, without any proof.
Further, the public prosecutor submitted that the video clips accusing the chief minister of corruption charges were uploaded and circulated on social media platforms with malafide intention to harm the reputation of the chief minister.
“Further, the statements are not only false and were only with an intention and political ill to harm the reputation of the chief minister against good faith and without any public good. K Annamalai caused an immutable injury to the reputation of the CM,” the public prosecutor mentioned.
He prayed the court to admit the case and proceed against the BJP leader and punish him for the offences under sections 499 and 500 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Annamalai released the “DMK Files” — detailing the assets of 27 DMK leaders, including Chief Minister Stalin, his son and minister in Tamil Nadu government Udhayanidhi Stalin and his extended family, including Kalanithi and Dayanidhi Maran.
He also alleged that the chief minister was paid a bribe of ₹200 crore for election expenses in 2011 by a company that wanted to secure a contract for Chennai Metro Rail through a few shell companies.
Annamalai also stated that he had disclosed only the direct assets, shareholdings, and the valuation of the properties of the DMK ministers and hadn’t gone beyond it.
Minister Udayanidhi, MP Kanimozhi, RS Bharathi, and DM MP TR Baalu had earlier sent defamatory notices to Annamalai.
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