Samuel’s statement about Sasikala will not cause prejudice to EPS: Madras HC

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court refused to expunge the portion of Mathew Samuel's statement stating that Edappadi K Palaniswami played a major role in electing VK Sasikala as interim general secretary of AIADMK.

Justice G Jayachandran observed that the statement of Samuel about Sasikala would not cause prejudice to EPS and directed him to file an affidavit demanding any other portions be removed from the statement.

Senior counsel SR Ragunathan for EPS submitted that the statement of Mathew Samuel is unwarranted and may cause prejudice to his client during the trial.

He also submitted the portions to be removed from the statement of Samuel.

After the submission, the judge also directed Samuel to file an affidavit to the objection of EPS and posted the matter to the first week of January, 2025 for further hearing.

In 2019, EPS filed a defamation suit seeking damages of Rs 1.10 crore from Mathew Samuel, Delhi based journalist and his crew members as well as the Kodanad case accused V. Sayan and C. Valayar Manoj, of having released a video accusing him of being involved in the Kodanad crime.

The court appointed an advocate commissioner on the request of EPS to record his evidence. After recording the evidence, written submissions were filed before the court, however, objecting to certain portions of Mathew's written submission, EPS applied, demanding to expunge certain portions as it is gone out of the scope and scandalous, frivolous.