Contempt Case Against Telangana Governor Quashed

Contempt case against Telangana Governor quashed. The Madras High Court quashed the contempt case against Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan.

The Tamil Nadu party Vidutalai Chirutagal Katchi (VCK) had filed this case against him in 2017.

Soundararajan, then Tamil Nadu state BJP president, had criticized in an interview on the basis of which a case was registered against him.

Justice M. Dhandapani quashed the case on merits. There was no representation from Soundararajan’s side even after adjourning the hearing several times on the quashing petition.

Soundararajan had filed a petition in the High Court in 2018 seeking quashing of the contempt case. The petition was listed for hearing four times, but no representative appeared on behalf of Soundararajan.

The complainant Karthikeyan also remained absent. After going through the papers of both the parties, Justice Dhandapani said that the complaint is based on the statement of Soundararajan.

Justice M. Dhandapani dismissed the case on merits as no representation was reached from either Soundararajan or Karthikeyan of VCK even after adjourning the hearing on several occasions by rejecting the application.

Sundararajan had moved the High Court in 2018 to quash the defamation case.

However, even after the matter was listed for hearing on four separate occasions, he was not represented by anyone. During this, the complainant Karthikeyan also remained absent.

On perusing the papers even after both the parties remained silent, Justice Dhandapani found that the complaint was based on a statement by Sundararajan.

Alleging that the VCK and its founding leader, Thol Thirumavalavan, were conducting kangaroo courts and were involved in land grabbing.

He also said that the private complainant has not mentioned whether he was authorized by Thirumavalavan or VCK to register the case.

The respondent (Dhadi K Karthikeyan) thought it appropriate to file a personal complaint. Respondent not being affected person invokes section 500 (criminal defamation).

Indian penal code is not acceptable. Justice Dhandapani ruled the complaint is nothing more than to gain political publicity at the cost of judicial time.