The Edappadi Palaniswami-led government has filed a defamation case against DMK President MK Stalin for his remarks against senior Tamil Nadu Minister D Jayakumar. The development of the legal strike against the state opposition leader has come a month after Stalin had accused Jayakumar of corruption charges. 

According to reports, Stalin was campaigning in Royapuram, Chennai on January 10, and during his address to the fishermen community, Stalin said that corruption has taken place in the procurement of the walkie-talkies that were given for the safety of the deep-sea fishermen. Stalin further stated that fisheries minister Jayakumar had reportedly been involved in the corruption to the tune of Rs 30 crore in walkie-talkie procurement.

He made his speech on January 10 and a month later, the ruling ADMK government has now initiated the defamation suit against Stalin for making remarks against the interest of the public good. The government has released the order of filing defamation against Stalin on February 10 in which it has said that the remarks from Stalin are defamatory against D Jayakumar. 

The government further stated that Stalin has made the speech intentionally against the interest of the public good. The government added that the speech warrants an offense under section 499 (defamation) of the Indian Penal Code and demanded that Stalin must be prosecuted for his speech. The reports say that the order has directed the City Public Prosecutor, Chennai to make a complaint under section 199 of the CrPC against Stalin for his remarks.

In the order, the government said, "On a perusal of the said speech, it is found that it contains imputations, which are defamatory against the Hon'ble Minister for Fisheries and Personnel and Administrative Reforms Department, Government of Tamil Nadu, in respect of his conduct in the discharge of his public functions". "The above said defamatory speech is not only devoid of truth and good faith, but it has been intentionally made against the interest of the public good", the order stated. 

It must be noted that this has become the second such order from the government to file defamation against Stalin. In January, the Tamil Nadu government had filed a criminal defamation case against Stalin for alleging that senior Tamil Nadu Minister SP Velumani had committed corruption.