Chennai, Sept 28:
The Madras High Court on Monday adjourned to September 30 the hearing of a ₹1-crore defamation suit filed by DMK General Secretary Duraimurugan against Tamil Nadu Ministers Aadhav Arjuna and C.T.R. Nirmal Kumar, the TVK IT Wing and social media platforms over alleged defamatory remarks linking the DMK with the Veeramani POCSO case.
Justice Govindarajan Thilakavathy adjourned the matter after it was informed that only one of the respondents had filed a reply. The court sought replies from the respondents before proceeding with the case.
Appearing for the DMK, senior counsel J. Ravindran submitted that while the party was adhering to the court’s observations that the sensitive issue should not be politicised, members of the TVK were allegedly not following the court’s direction. The Judge said the court should be respected and observed that the Advocate General should take note of the issue.
The DMK has sought action against the two Ministers, the TVK IT Wing and social media platforms X Corp, Meta Platforms and YouTube over allegedly false and defamatory posts. It has also sought directions relating to the removal of the posts. The petition said the social media companies are located outside the jurisdiction of the Madras High Court.
During the earlier hearing, senior counsel Vijay Narayan appeared for the two Ministers. The court had orally directed both the Ministers and the DMK not to politicise the issue, observing that such politicisation could dilute the investigation and potentially help the accused evade the law.
The Judge had stressed the sensitive nature of the case, noting that it concerned the lives of minor girl children and that everyone had a social responsibility.
In its petition, the DMK said the FIR in the case was registered on October 7, 2025, a day after a child rights activist handed over a video clipping of the alleged sexual assault of a minor girl to the police. The party said the investigation thereafter proceeded in accordance with law based on the available evidence.
The DMK also maintained that the then ruling party had not interfered with the investigation and had no connection or connivance with the accused or anyone else linked to the alleged offence.