Channel restrained from telecasting serial on Veerappan

CHENNAI: A city court on Tuesday restrained a private television channel from telecasting a serial on slain forest brigand Veerappan.

The interim injunction was granted by an Assistant City Civil Court Judge Anandhi on a suit filed by Veerappan's widow V Muthu Lakshmi who sought to restrain Tamizhan Television from telecasting any advertisement or serial on her husband till disposal of the suit.

The plaintiff sought a permanent injunction to restrain the channel from "publishing and telecasting the name, identity and interpretation of her husband in any form or in any name, which reflected his history and events, without her written consent".

She said that after the death of her husband, who was gunned down at Satyamangalam forest along the state's border with Karnataka on October 18, 2004, some private TV channels, including the respondent channel, were trying to make a serial on the events in the life of Veerappan.

She said the channel had started advertising that it was going to telecast a serial 'Maveeran' from February 14. If it was telecast, it could damage and tarnish the image, name, identity and interpretation of Veerappan, she alleged.

Besides, it would also affect the studies and future of her children and they would be consequently put to irreparable loss and hardships, she contended.