Delhi High Court to decide on trying Karunanidhi

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Thursday called for documents from a trial court that had dismissed a petition seeking action against Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi for his controversial remarks on Hindu god Ram.

Justice B.B. Gupta directed the lower court to submit the documents by Dec 11 to decide whether or not a case was made out.

Advocate and petitioner Monika Arora challenged the decision of the district court before the high court saying that the trial court judge had erred in appreciating the evidence produced in the petition.

The petition said Karunanidhi had hurt the sentiments of millions of Hindus by making derogatory statements against lord Ram and he should be punished in accordance with law.

"He also described lord Ram as a mere myth having no roof of his existence," said the petition.

During the height of the controversy earlier this year on the construction of the Sethusamudram shipping canal, the DMK chief had ridiculed some Hindu groups for opposing the project and also made controversial remarks against lord Ram in a public statement at Chennai on Sep 21.