Madras High Court rules in favour of AIADMK leader EPS in defamation case

AIADMK leader Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS) won a defamation case filed by him against the elder brother of the prime accused in the 2017 Kodanad heist-cum-murder case. The Madras High Court directed C Dhanapal, the defendant, to pay Rs 1.1 crore as damages to the AIADMK general secretary and Leader of the Opposition in Tamil Nadu. The court also permanently restrained C Dhanapal from making any further defamatory statements against EPS.

Justice RMT Teeka Raman, who passed the order, expressed concern over the growing trend of character assassination on social media. “In the age of social media, desecration of the reputation of public figures has become child’s play,” the judge said. He added that social media platforms, instead of promoting positive discourse, have become fertile grounds for the spread of harmful rumours and malicious attacks.

The defamation suit filed by Palaniswami stemmed from interviews given by Dhanapal in 2023, where he linked the AIADMK leader to the 2017 robbery and murder at the Kodanad tea estate, which was owned by former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, the late J Jayalalithaa. Dhanapal had alleged that Palaniswami and other AIADMK leaders were involved in the crime, despite no evidence to support these claims.

The court found that Dhanapal’s statements were false and malicious, aimed solely at tarnishing Palaniswami’s reputation ahead of the 2024 general elections. Justice Raman noted that Dhanapal had failed to rebut the allegations or provide a valid defence, leaving the court with no option but to conclude that the statements were made with the intent to defame.

Reputation, the judge emphasised, is a vital part of an individual’s identity, and once damaged, it cannot be restored. The Rs 1.1 crore compensation, while acknowledging the severity of the defamation, was seen as an attempt to address the harm caused by Dhanapal’s unfounded public allegations.

The Kodanad murder-heist case remains shrouded in mystery, with the prime suspect, Kanagaraj, Dhanapal’s younger brother, dying in a road accident shortly after the incident, complicating the investigation. Palaniswami has denied any involvement in the case, alleging that the ruling DMK is using it to frame him politically.