Supreme Court quashes defamation proceedings against Union Minister L. Murugan

Supreme Court quashes criminal defamation case against Minister Murugan, emphasizing the importance of free speech in politics.

The Supreme Court quashed and set aside criminal defamation proceedings instituted by the Murasoli Trust against Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting L. Murugan for his comments during a press meet in December 2020.

A Bench of Justices B.R. Gavai and K.V. Viswanathan closed the case after the Trust, represented by senior advocates N.R. Elango and Siddharth Luthra, accepted Mr. Murugan’s statement that he had no intention to cause injury or harm to the reputation of the Trust which runs a highly reputable and prominent newspaper associated with the ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu.

Senior advocate K. Parameshwar, appearing for the Minister and BJP leader, said his client had no intention to defame the Trust.

The court recorded Mr. Parameshwar’s submission that his client had made statement as a leader of a political party.

Justice Gavai, when the case had come up on Wednesday (December 4, 2024) and adjourned to December 5, had addressed the Trust that “when you enter politics, you should be ready to receive all sorts of unwarranted, unnecessary compliments... In free speech issues, you need to give breathing space”.

The court had said that to survive in politics one needed to be thick-skinned against barbs. “Parties should fight their battles before the public,” it had remarked.

The defamation complaint against Mr. Murugan was filed by the Trust in a Chennai court.