Chennai: At least two weeks after the allegations raised against BJP national secretary H Raja for defaming the High Court, the Chief Justice of Madras High Court VK Tahilramani has directed the court registry to list suo motu contempt proceedings against him before division bench consisting of justices Nirmal Kumar and CT Selvam.
The court directive came after an advocate objected to the contempt proceedings initiated by the bench saying that only the Chief Justice of Madras HC can initiate such proceedings. The Chief Justice had made a remark in the file and ordered that the bench with Justices CT Selvam and Nirmal Kumar take up contempt proceedings against H Raja. She also ordered H Raja to appear before the court on 22 October.
It all started when a video with H Raja badmouthing the Madras high court and the Tamilnadu police went viral. In the video, an angry H Raja is seen shouting and abusing two policemen who were trying to explain things to him. H Raja allegedly wanted to lead a procession on a route on which the Madras High Court had prohibited processions.
The incident that happened in Pudukkottai district during the Ganesh Chaturthi festivities created outrage on social media leading to H Raja denying the video. He claimed that someone had dubbed over the video and that it was not him seen uttering expletives against the police and the court. He also added that he respected the Madras High Court and the Tamilnadu police.
Following this, the police registered an FIR at Thirumayam police station against H Raja and seven others under sections 143 (Punishment for unlawful assembly), 188 (Disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 153(A) (Promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony), 290 (Punishment for public nuisance), 294(b) (sings, recites or utters any obscene song, ballad or words, in or near any public place), 353 (Assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 505(1)(b) (Committing an offence against public tranquillity), 505 (1)(c) (with intent to incite, or which is likely to incite, any class or community of persons to commit any offence against any other class or community) and 506(1) (Criminal intimidation) of the IPC.
The others who have been booked are Ganesan, Meyyapuram branch organiser of Hindu Munnani, Palanivelsamy, state treasurer of Hindu Munnani, Dindugal district, Sooriya Narayanan, South Zone spokesman of RSS, Karpaga Vadivel, Pudukkottai district president of Hindu Munnani, Agni Bala, Sivagangai district secretary of Hindu Munnani, Ramesh, Sivagangai district secretary of BJP and Jayam Subramaniam, Thirumayam Union Secretary BJP.