The Coimbatore Magistrate Court has issued a summons to former Chief Minister and AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami to appear in connection with a defamation case filed by former MP K.C. Palanisamy.On June 13, 2023, while addressing reporters at the Coimbatore airport, Palaniswami made remarks regarding the AIADMK’s coordination committee, dismissing some individuals as irrelevant to the party. Without naming K.C. Palanisamy directly, he questioned the credibility of certain people, stating:
“People who come and go form their own committees. Who are they? One person from Coimbatore, where was he? He was not even a party member before joining O. Panneerselvam. He was never part of AIADMK before that. And now, you’re asking me about him as if heās an important figure!”
Following this, K.C. Palanisamy filed a defamation case on June 25, 2024, in the Coimbatore JM-1 Court, claiming that Palaniswamiās remarks were defamatory and tarnished his reputation. He stated:
“I have been an AIADMK member since 1971. I was elected as an MLA in 1984 and as an MP in 1989. However, Palaniswamiās remarks falsely diminish my contribution to the party and damage my reputation. I request the court to take action against him.”
Taking up the case, the court had earlier directed K.C. Palanisamy to appear and record his statement, which he did. The case came up for hearing before Magistrate Gopalakrishnan yesterday.
After reviewing the complaint, the magistrate directed that a summons be issued to Edappadi K. Palaniswami, requiring him to appear in court. The next hearing has been scheduled for April 15.