Kerala court stays order against former CM Achuthanandan in defamation case
India Today
A district court stayed a lower court order directing former Kerala chief minister VS Achuthanandan to pay damages of Rs 10.10 lakh to Congress leader Oommen Chandy for loss of reputation.
The district court in Thiruvananthapuram on Monday issued a stay to the lower court order asking former Kerala Chief Minister VS Achuthanandan to pay Rs 10.10 lakh to Congress leader Oommen Chandy in a defamation case.
The court said that it will grant a stay if the petitioner deposits Rs 14,89,750 as security for considering the appeal filed by Achuthanandan. An equivalent bail condition would also be sufficient to grant the stay.
Chandy had filed a case alleging defamatory comments by Achuthanandan in an interview to a Malayalam news channel in 2013 in connection with the solar scam.
It was the Principal Sub Court that asked Achuthanandan to pay the sum to Chandy last month for making allegations against the latter for links to solar scam while being the Opposition leader.
Achuthanandan was also asked to pay six per cent interest of the fine amount, with retrospective effect from 2014.
The former chief minister had alleged that Chandy had a role in the solar scam. He had alleged that Chandy had formed a company with an intention to swindle money.
READ | Defamation case ruled in favour of ex-Kerala CM Oommen Chandy, VS Achuthanandan to pay him Rs 10.10 lakh
