'Defamatory' comments against Jayalalithaa: Summons issued to activist 'Traffic' Ramasamy

A local court on Thursday issued summons to social activist 'Traffic' Ramasamy, asking him to appear before it on February 22 for allegedly defamatory remarks against Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on WhatsApp over distribution of flood relief material.

Principal Sessions Judge N Audinathan issued the summons to him on a criminal defamation complaint filed by city Public Prosecutor M L Jegan on behalf of the Chief Minister. The CPP contended that the words used by Ramasamy were "highly defamatory, scandalous, disparaging, insuinating and highly provocative."

They had deliberately been made with the intention of causing harm to her reputation and her administration, which constituted an offence of defamation under Section 499 of IPC (defamation). The CPP sought a direction to punish Ramasamy under IPC Sec 500 (Punishment for defamation).