Madras HC dispenses with the personal appearance of Dinamalar editor in defamation case

Chennai:

The Madras High Court has dispensed with the personal appearance of the Editor of Tamil Daily Dinamalar over a criminal defamation complaint filed by the Trustees of Arulmigu Angalaparameswari and Kasi Viswanathaswamy Temple before II Metropolitan Magistrate Court.

Justice C T Selvam before whom the criminal original petition was filed by the editor, Dinamalar, said the editor has been dispensed with the personal appearance before the II Metropolitan Magistrate Court till the copies of complaint and the sworn statement recorded in the Criminal Case is furnished.

He also directed the registry to circulate the order copy to the below courts enabling them to follow the orders passed by High Court in 1998 in case of furnishing copies of the complaint to the accused along with summons.

The Editor of Dinamalar approached the High Court with a prayer to dispense with the personal appearance and to direct the Magistrate’s Court to furnish with the complaint copy and the sworn statements of the complainants to him.