Madras HC refuses to discharge Twitter from defamation case
PTI, Mar 18, 2022, 8:07 PM IST
Chennai: The Madras High Court on Friday refused to discharge Twitter from the defamation case filed by film director Susi Ganesan against poet and filmmaker Leena Manimekalai, various film personalities, and other social media organizations.
Justice P Velmurugan rejected the plea while dismissing an application from Twitter.
Originally, Susi Ganesan had moved the IX Metropolitan Magistrate Court in Saidapet with a defamation petition to punish Manimekalai and playback singer Chinmayi for their ‘MeToo’ allegations against him in 2019. He had claimed that their accusations were baseless and aimed at tarnishing his name and reputation in the film industry.
Newsminute, an online news media company, Facebook, Google, Twitter, and various such organizations were the other accused in the case. They had allegedly published/carried the defamatory statements.
He had also moved the Supreme Court, which in December last year, directed the Saidapet Magistrate court to complete the trial within four months.
Meanwhile, he had moved the High Court with an application seeking to restrain the defendants (Manimekalai and others) from making any such allegation against him. He had also demanded a compensation of Rs 1.10 crore to be paid collectively by the defendants.
Justice Abdul Quddhose on January 20 had restrained the defendants from making/publishing defamatory statements against Ganeshan.
The Principal Sessions Judge here on March 4 had rejected a plea from Manimekalai to transfer the defamation case from the Saidapet Magistrate court to some other court, on the ground that the magistrate was biased towards her.
When the matter came up today in the High Court, the counsel for Twitter told Justice Velmurugan that his client was only a social media organization engaged in disseminating information and it should not be held responsible for the same, which was rejected. After directing the defendants to file their written arguments, the judge adjourned the matter till April 13.
Udayavani is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel and stay updated with the latest news.
Top News
Related Articles More
NIA arrests key accused in 2023 attack on Indian High Commission in London
Indian nationals aboard ‘MSC Aries’ in good health, return delayed due to technicalities: MEA
Husband has no control over wife’s ‘stridhan’: SC
Second phase of LS polls: Polling on Friday for 88 seats in 13 states
Ex-IAS Officer Anil Tuteja accused of masterminding Chhattisgarh liquor scam: ED
MUST WATCH
Latest Additions
NIA arrests key accused in 2023 attack on Indian High Commission in London
Three persons run over by train in Bengaluru
Indian nationals aboard ‘MSC Aries’ in good health, return delayed due to technicalities: MEA
Husband has no control over wife’s ‘stridhan’: SC
IT sleuths threatening raided leaders to claim money belongs to me, Cong: DK Shivakumar