Seeman moves Madras High Court to club FIRs booked for remarks against Periyar

Naam Tamilar Katchi chief seeks to consolidate 50 FIRs against him for speech criticizing Dravidar Kazhagam founder.

Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) chief coordinator S. Seeman, 58, has approached the Madras High Court with a plea to club all 50 First Information Reports (FIRs) registered against him across the State for his speech against Dravidar Kazhagam (DK) founder Thanthai Periyar alias E.V. Ramasamy.

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The plea has been listed for admission before Justice G.K. Ilanthiraiyan on Tuesday (March 18, 2025). In an affidavit filed in support of his petition, Mr. Seeman said, he had delivered a speech at Vadalur in Cuddalore district on January 8, 2025 cricising Periyar and that his speech was based on facts.

However, the cadre of a particular political organisation had lodged complaints in the police stations at Erode, Madurai, Krishnagiri, Salem, Thanjavur, Tirunelveli, Virudhunagar, Krishnagiri, Thoothukudi, Perambalur, Karur, Dindigul, Pudukottai, Coimbatore, Theni, Sivaganga and many more districts.

Listing out all 50 FIRs that had been booked so far for the same speech, the petitioner said, he had received police notices under Section 35 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, summoning him for inquiry, from the Vadalur, Chengalpattu and Ranipet police stations.

Further, claiming that the police had refused to divulge the details of the exact nature of the complaints that had been lodged against him, the petitioner said, those FIRs had also been blocked online making it impossible for him to access them and know their contents.

“I have not made any allegation or made any disparaging remarks against any leader. The speech delivered by me is referring to facts and recalling the speeches and writings made by the particular leader in public meetings and his official organ. No imputation has been made with any malafide intention,” the petitioner said.