NEW DELHI, Dec 5: In a significant relief for Union Minister L Murugan, the Supreme Court on Thursday annulled the criminal defamation proceedings initiated against him by the Chennai-based Murasoli Trust, following remarks he made during a press conference in December 2020.
The bench comprising Justices B R Gavai and K V Viswanathan issued the order after Murugan’s attorney argued that the minister had no intention to defame the Trust nor to harm its reputation.
The bench acknowledged that the advocates representing the Trust had graciously indicated that, given Murugan’s clarification regarding his intentions, they did not wish to pursue the prosecution further.
“We record our gratitude for the graciousness shown by the respondent (Trust),” the bench commented.
The court overturned the September 5, 2023 ruling from the Madras High Court, which had declined to dismiss the defamation proceedings.
“In light of this, both the contested order and the criminal proceedings are annulled,” the bench remarked.
The Supreme Court’s decision was made in response to an appeal from Murugan, who is the Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting, challenging the High Court’s ruling.
During the Wednesday hearing, the bench noted that individuals should be prepared to deal with various unwarranted and unnecessary compliments upon entering public service.
In September 2023, the apex court had paused the proceedings pending in a special Chennai court against Murugan and sought the Trust’s response to his application.
Previously, Murugan had challenged these proceedings in the High Court, which documented the Trust’s argument that he had made the statements “with an ulterior motive to degrade and tarnish the reputation of the Murasoli Trust in the eyes of the public.”
“In addressing the quash petition, this court cannot delve into the merits of the case or the disputed factual questions. The court must base its findings solely on the allegations presented in the complaint and make a prima facie determination as to whether an offense is established,” the High Court stated.
While rejecting his appeal, the High Court instructed a Chennai trial court to resolve the case within three months.
“The petitioner (Murugan) is free to present all arguments before the trial court, which will be assessed on its own merits and in line with the law,” it added. (PTI)
