The Supreme Court has issued a stay on defamation proceedings against Union Minister of State in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairy, L Murugan. The defamation case was filed by former Member of Parliament and DMK leader RS Bharathi, following reported derogatory statements made by Murugan about the DMK-affiliated Murasoli Trust.
The trust filed a private complaint against the minister for his remarks during a press conference, where he alleged that the Trust was operating on Panchami land, land distributed to Dalits in Tamil Nadu.
A bench of Justices BR Gavai and PK Mishra issued an interim order staying further proceedings pending before the Assistant Sessions Judge Additional Special Court for Trial of Cases related to MPs and MLAs in Tamil Nadu until the next hearing.
The court also requested a response from the Murasoli Trust regarding Murugan’s plea challenging the Madras High Court’s order from September 5, 2023, which had refused to quash the case. Justice Anand Venkatesh stated that in defamation cases, statements should be tested from the viewpoint of the common prudent person. He noted that the statements made by the minister would be perceived as questioning the right and title of the property.
The court’s order further stated that even if the petitioner believed he had merely asked a question, the statements would be understood as if he were questioning the right to the property on which the Trust operates and implying that it is functioning on Panchami land. This interpretation aligns with how the respondent perceived the statements.
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