Jayalalithaa files complaint against Tamil weekly

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa

today filed a complaint in the Principal Sessions Court here

against a Tamil weekly for allegedly publishing a 'false and

malacious' news item defaming her in its August eight issue. In the complaint filed on behalf of Jayalalithaa, City

Public Prosecutor (CPP) said the news had stated that the

Chief Minister had dropped a minister at the behest of

"another person." It insinuated that the Chief Minister "is unable to take a

decision on her own and is clearly indicative of malicious and

deliberate intention," the complaint said. Submitting that removal of a minister was the sole

prerogative of the Chief Minister, the complaint said "no

person shall question this constitutional prerogative. The

decision to drop the minister was taken in the interests of

better administration of the government", the CPP said. Stating that the news was "totally false and is based on

the conjectures and surmises of the accused," the complaint

claimed the "fallacious" news had been published without

verification and inquiry and with the sole intention to

"defame the goodwill, reputation and independent image of the

Chief Minsiter among the general public." The complaint said the nine accused, who included Editorial

Director, Managing Editor, Executive Editor and Senior

Correspondent of the "India Today" Tamil weekly, had committed

offences punishable under IPC sections 500 and 501

(defamation). The CPP requested the court to take cognisance of the

complaint and proceed against the accused according to law.