Chennai: Facing contempt proceedings, Editor
of Tamil bi-weekly Nakkheeran R Gopal on Thursday expressed regret
in Madras High Court for publishing an alleged derogatory
article about Chief Minister Jayalalithaa and said a regret
message would be carried on the cover page of the magazine`s
next issue.
In another related development, the high court granted
anticipatory bail to Gopal, who apprehended arrest in cases
filed in connection with the alleged derogatory and defamatory
article about the eating habits of Jayalalithaa.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice M Y Eqbal and
Justice T S Sivagnanam accepted the regret expressed by
counsel for Gopal when the contempt petition filed by Advocate
General A Navaneethakrishnan came up for hearing.
The bench said that Gopal`s counsel P T Perumal had `very
fairly` submitted that his client `had realised his mistake
and is publishing a regret message on the (magazine`s) cover
page in the next issue and would also withdraw the allegations
made (in the article).
Directing that an affidavit be filed, the Judges accepted
Perumal`s submission and posted the matter, pertaining to
contempt of court proceedings against Gopal, to January 18.
The contempt petition charged Gopal with violation of a
2006 Division Bench order placing certain restraint on the
magazine when publishing articles relating to the personal
life of Jayalalithaa.
Earlier, granting the anticipatory bail to Gopal and
Nakkheeran Associate Editor Kamaraj, Justice M M Sundresh said
the `article does not display a good taste.`
Accepting a submission by petitioners` counsel that
suitable instructions would be given to them not to publish
such articles in future, the Judge said he was constrained to
place a condition on them `that they shall not publish `any
such derogatory and disparaging material, touching upon the
personal life of the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu and comply
with the (2006) directions of the Division Bench.
PTI
