Judge recuses himself from hearing plea of ex-DGP Nataraj
The plea moved by the former DGP to quash the defamation case was listed before Justice N Anand Venkatesh.
Madras High Court
CHENNAI: Justice N Anand Venkatesh recused himself from hearing the plea filed by retired Director General of Police (DGP) and former AIADMK MLA R Nataraj, seeking to quash the defamation case filed against him, on the grounds that the judge knew the petitioner personally.
The case pertains to Nataraj allegedly defaming the State government and the Chief Minister on social media. The plea moved by the former DGP to quash the defamation case was listed before Justice N Anand Venkatesh.
“I am not inclined to hear the case as I have acquaintance with the petitioner”, observed Justice N Anand Venkatesh when the case was listed before him on Friday. The judge directed the registry to place the matter before the Chief Justice to list the petition before some other judge of the court.
The Tiruchy police had lodged an FIR against Nataraj under various sections of IPC, based on complaint filed by an advocate Sheela of DMK. The complainant stated that Nataraj had spread false message on his X handle that the DMK government demolished more than 2,000 temples in the State. He alleged that the posts promoted communal enmity, hatred, or ill will between classes.
Aggrieved with the registration of the case, Nataraj moved the HC seeking to quash the FIR registered against him.