TN Govt files defamation case against BJP chief Annamalai

Annamalai alleged corruption in the allotment of tender to a rolling stock supplier for the first phase of Chennai Metro Rail

Tamil Nadu government on Wednesday filed a criminal defamation case against state BJP chief K Annamalai for his “defamatory” statements against Chief Minister M K Stalin “without any basis or evidence” during a press conference on April 14 while releasing the “DMK Files.”

The case was filed by the City Public Prosecutor (CPP) before the Principal District and Sessions Judge, Chennai after the government in an order dated May 6 accorded sanction to file the complaint. The complaint seeks action against Annamalai, a former Karnataka-cadre IPS officer, under Sections 499 (defamation), and 500 (punishment for defamation) of the Indian Penal Code.

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Annamalai, while releasing details of assets held by top DMK leaders, alleged corruption in the allotment of tender to a rolling stock supplier for the first phase of Chennai Metro Rail. Annamalai claimed that tender rules were tweaked to favour Alstom, which in turn gave Rs 200 crores to the DMK for the 2011 elections through two shell companies and laid the blame at Stalin’s desk.

The complaint filed before the court said Annamalai made “defamatory statements” and eventually exhibited videos, which were uploaded and circulated in various social media forums, intending to harm the Chief Minister’s reputation “in respect of his conduct in the discharge of his public functions.”

Contending that Stalin enjoys “very high reputation” among the people of India and Tamil Nadu in particular, the petition said the “excellent rule he has delivered for the past two years has earned him a very high reputation among the people of Tamil Nadu and across the country.”

“The love and affection showered by the people of Tamil Nadu is not digestible by the Opposition parties, and the BJP, of which the accused is the state president,” the petition filed by the CPP said, adding that the state is “rightly interested” in pursuing the prosecution since it believes the offence is committed against the CM is against the state.

The state government and Stalin are open to any “fact-based criticism with an intention to do public good," the petition claimed but said the allegations which are per se defamatory and (were) made only with an intention to harm the reputation of the Chief Minister against good faith and without any public good.

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“The complainant submits that the statements were also not made in good faith but only with a malice to defame him (CM) for the personal political gain of the accused,” it added.

The government also said it was “fully satisfied” that the “defamatory statements” have reasonable connection with the discharge of public duties by the Chief Minister and they are not only defamatory in nature but have a direct nexus between the discharge of public duties of the office of the Chief Minister.