HC moots amicable settlement in Ilayaraja and Prasad Studios row

Seeking Ilayaraja to restrain from pressing damages for the instruments and Prasad Studios to permit him to visit his recording theatre for a day and collect his belongings, Justice N Satish Kumar suggested the appointment of an Advocate Commissioner to accompany the composer during his one-day visit. The judge also held that the counsels of both the parties can also be present.

Following the court’s suggestion, the respective counsels sought to obtain instructions from the clients and the case has been posted to Tuesday.

Earlier, senior counsel Arvind Pandian appearing for Prasad Studios contended that contrary to earlier submissions of seeking time to just visit the studio to meditate, the tone of the application has changed with a demand increasing to a day and that he would seek damages in the event of his instruments being found damaged.

Pointing out that Ilayaraja cannot expect a welcome under such conditions, the counsel said the instruments have been lying there since 2017 and have been removed after placing them in boxes. Moreover, Ilayaraja has filed two police complaints in this regard and hence allowing him in the campus would not be feasible, especially with him already being allowed twice to remove his equipment.

However, senior counsel PS Raman submitted that it has been made amply clear that no claims of any stake have been made and what Ilayaraja intended to do in the studio for a day, like either meditate or even sleep, was left to him. But in the event of the instruments and his other belonging being found damaged, he was bound to seek damages, he said.

But the court stressed on the need to resolve the issue through mediation and not in public glare, and sought the music composer to refrain from fighting and Prasad Studios to act magnanimously by receiving him.

The court also acknowledged the apprehension raised by Aravind Pandian on security concerns that could flare up during his visit, as the issue has become a controversy.