Madras High Court delays DMK plea in Veeramani abuse-case dispute

The Madras High Court has adjourned for four weeks a DMK petition seeking an inquiry into Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay and Ministers Aadhav Arjuna and C.T.R. Nirmal Kumar in connection with a child sexual abuse case.

Justice V. Lakshminarayanan deferred the petition after the Advocate General, Vijay Narayan, referred to related defamation proceedings brought by the political party against the two ministers. The case concerns an investigation by a Special Investigation Team into allegations involving R.

Veeramani of Gem Granites. The judge said a sensitive child sexual abuse matter should not be politicised and that the SIT should be allowed to work without disruption. DMK senior counsel J.

Ravindran said the party also wanted the perpetrators punished and justice delivered to the child victims. He said, however, that the party was being falsely accused of shielding the alleged offenders. The DMK has asked the SIT to act on a September 27 representation seeking the questioning of the Chief Minister and the two ministers.

It wants the team to determine whether they hold material supporting allegations made against the party. In a separate defamation suit, the DMK is seeking ₹1 crore in damages from the two ministers. It has also sought the removal of allegedly defamatory posts from X Corp, Meta Platforms and YouTube.

The ministers have opposed the party’s request for permission to file the suit, arguing that prior notices required under Section 80(1) of the Code of Civil Procedure were not issued.