Madurai, July 23: The principal district and sessions court here has dismissed a petition filed by TNCC president e V K S Elangovan, seeking to discharge him from a defamation case against the state government. The case pertains to alleged defamatory remarks he made against Chief Minister Jayalalithaa during a by-election to Uthampalayam town Panchayat in October 2002.
Dismissing the petition yesterday, the judge observed that the intentions of the speaker were malafide. "Hence he cannot be discharged." However, the judge exempted him from making an appearance on all days of the proceedings of the case, but said that the TNCC president should appear, if the court summoned him.
Meanwhile, a petition filed by the public prosecutor, requesting that the chief minister be exempted from personally appearing in court during the proceedings of the case against Elangovan, was posted for hearing on August 1. Bureau Report