Defamation Drama: Tamil Nadu Speaker vs. AIADMK

The Madras High Court reserved its order on Speaker M Appavu's petition seeking to quash a defamation complaint by AIADMK's advocate, Babu Murugavel. The dispute arose over Appavu's alleged defamatory statement about AIADMK MLAs at a book launch, leading to legal debates over Murugavel's standing.

The Madras High Court has held back its decision on a crucial petition filed by Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker M Appavu. The petition seeks to dismiss a defamation complaint lodged against him by AIADMK advocates wing Joint Secretary, M Babu Murugavel.

The contention arises from a statement purportedly made by Appavu during a book release event last November, where it was alleged that he implied a possible defection of AIADMK MLAs. Senior Counsel P Wilson, defending Appavu, argues that the comments were informational rather than defamatory and that Murugavel lacked the standing to file the suit.

Conversely, Senior Counsel John Sathyan representing Murugavel asserts that as a legal wing member, Murugavel has every right to lodge the complaint. The legal standoff questions the legitimacy of the complaint and the motivations behind its filing, with political undertones casting shadows over the proceedings.

(With inputs from agencies.)