Chennai court dismisses plea against Rajinikanth over Periyar remark

A metropolitan court in Chennai has dismissed a petition filed against megastar Rajinikanth.  This was over his remarks on rationalist leader E V Ramasamy “Periyar.” The plea was filed by President of Dravidar Viduthalai Kazhagam (DVK), Mani under Section 153 (promoting enmity between different groups) and Section 505 (statements conducting public mischief) of Indian Penal Code.

The Second Metropolitan Magistrate Roslyn Durai has granted liberty to the petitioner to file a private complaint about defamation, damages, and compensation.

He said, “The speech of actor Rajinikanth is at best defamatory. The offense under section 499 r/w 500 of Indian Penal Code alone appears to be made out. The offense is non-cognizable and maintainable as a private complaint.”

On the 50th anniversary event of a Tamil magazine Thuglak, Rajinikanth had reportedly said that at a rally in 1971 led by late Periyar, idols of Lord Ram and Sita were taken out without any clothes on them and the deities also featured a garland of sandals.

Mani had also asked the actor to apologize. But the megastar had refused to apologize and said that he will stand by his statement that was based on factual events. Rajinikanth, in a press meet, had also shown a copy of a newspaper from 1971, which carried the news about the rally.

On the work front, after ‘Darbar’ the Thalaiva is busy with his next ‘Thalaivar 168’. Directed by Siruthai Siva, the film is being produced by Sun Pictures. Thalaivar 168 also has Khushbu, Meena, Prakash Raj, Keerthy Suresh, Sathish, Soori in key roles.

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