Jayalalithaa files complaints against daily and Tamil bi-weekly

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on Tuesday filed separate complaints in the Principal Sessions court against a Tamil bi-weekly and a leading English national daily accusing them of publishing 'derogatory and defamatory' comments against her about her eating habits.

The complaint filed on behalf of the Chief Minister by the city public prosecutor against the Editor, Joint Editor and a Reporter of Nakkheeran and a reporter and the Editor-in-Chief of The Hindu seeks to punish them under IPC sections 500 (punishment for defamation) and 501 (printing or engraving matter known to be defamatory).

When contacted, Siddharth Varadarajan, Editor of The Hindu said, "we will study the matter and respond accordingly".

Nakkheeran on January 7 had faced the wrath of irate AIADMK supporters who attacked its office and burnt copies over publication of the report about Jayalalithaa's eating habits.

Facing contempt proceedings, Editor R Gopal had expressed regret in the High Court on January 12 for publishing the article and said a regret message would be carried on the cover page of the magazine's next issue.

The chief public prosecutor submitted that if an article, which appeared as a news item, was one relating to the personal life of a public official, it would be necessary for the member of the press or media to publish it only after a reasonable verification of the facts.