The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Madurai News : Court restrains AIADMK cadres

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Wednesday, Aug 04, 2010
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Madurai

Court restrains AIADMK cadres

Special Correspondent

MADURAI: The Principal District and Sessions Court here on Tuesday granted ad-interim injunction against a group of seven All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) functionaries in a case regarding circulation of cartoons and poems or pasting posters depicting Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers M.K. Alagiri in any form, till August 17. Following a publication of cartoon and poem in ‘Dr. Namadhu MGR,' a Tamil daily, about Mr. Alagiri, a family friend of the Union Minister, A. Sugumar, approached the court seeking justice.

According to the petitioner, the Tamil daily had published a cartoon on July 30 in which it carried Mr. Alagiri's name in a “highly defamatory and malicious manner.”

During the 87th birthday celebration of Chief Minister, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) cadres had planned to distribute packets of a health drink to 8,700 poor people at a free medical camp held in Kadamalaikundu in Theni district on July 18. The organisers of the camp had bought the packets from reputed dealers in Theni and had bills issued by the shopkeeper. At the camp, Mr. Alagiri distributed the packets to beneficiaries.

Under these circumstances, there was a news item that a lorry transporting the health drink bottles missing. The AIADMK functionaries came out with statements that the missing consignment was allegedly stolen by the DMK men at Thiruvalavayanallur near Sholavandan in Madurai district on July 12 and it was distributed to poor people at the medical camp.

It was baseless and had no truth in it, the petitioner claimed and sought a permanent injunction.

The Tamil daily had published a cartoon and poem on Mr. Alagiri. These were published with a motive to defame the image of the Union Minister.

The petitioner prayed that the court should give a permanent injunction against the AIADMK functionaries from making such false statements.

In his order, judge N. Retnaraj said that the submissions of the purchase bills and samples of the health drink were carefully considered. However, the cartoon and poem criticised the distribution of the health drink. Prima facie the petitioner had established that any distribution or pasting of posters would affect the reputation of the Minister. As a prima facie case was made out, he ordered ad-interim injunction till August 17.

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