India News | Court Issues Summons to Top AIADMK Leaders over Defamation Plaint

Chennai, Aug 3 (PTI) Taking on file a defamation complaint from expelled AIADMK spokesperson V Pugalendhi, a Special court for hearing cases against MPs and MLAs on Tuesday issued summons to party's top leaders O Panneerselvam and K Palaniswami requiring them to appear before it on August 24.

Additional Special Court judge Alizia issued the summons.

In his complaint, Pugalendhi sought the court to punish the duo for offences under Sections 499 and 500 of the IPC for expelling him from AIADMK's primary membership and accusing him of having indulged in anti-party activities and violated its rules.

According to Pugalendhi, he was appointed as the secretary of the Karnataka unit of the AIADMK by the then party leader, the late J Jayalalithaa in recognition of his services to the organisation.

After her death in December 2016 he switched over to the AMMK led by T T V Dhinakaran.

He was, however, re-admitted in the AIADMK in December 2020 and nominated as the party spokesman in April this year.

However, in June this year, he was expelled from the primary membership of the party with immediate effect.

He contended that the reasons alleged in the expulsion order were far from truth. The reasons were 'vague' and 'baseless'.

No show cause notice was issued nor a formal enquiry was conducted. The expulsion has caused mental agony and tarnished his image, he added and sought to punish the two leaders. PTI

(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)