India News | Achuthanandan Ordered to Pay Rs 10.10 Lakh Damages in Defamation Case Filed by Oommen Chandy

Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 24 (PTI) A court here has directed veteran CPI(M) leader and former Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan to pay damages of Rs 10.10 lakh to senior Congress leader Oommen Chandy for loss of reputation.

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Chandy had filed a case alleging defamatory comments by Achuthananadan in an interview to a Malayalam news channel in 2013 in connection with the solar scam.

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Chandy was the Kerala Chief Minister and Achuthanandan the Leader of opposition in the State Assembly when the incident was reported.

In its order, Principal Sub Judge, Thiruvananthapuram, Shibu Daniel found that Achuthanandan's remarks had lowered the reputation of Chandy in society and ordered the Marxist leader to pay damages of Rs 10,10,000 to him.

Achuthanandan had alleged that Chandy had a role in the solar scam. He had alleged that Chandy had formed a company with an intention to swindle money by joining hands with the scamsters.

Hailing the verdict, Chandy said truth will always win.

Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly V D Satheesan said the court order was a warning to the CPI(M) leaders who believe 'in the principle of big lie-- Repeat a lie a hundred times and it becomes the truth.'

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)