Palaniswami, Panneerselvam summoned after expelled AIADMK leader moves Special Court
Former Tamil Nadu chief ministers and AIADMK leaders, Edappadi K Palaniswami and O Panneerselvam.
The Special Court summoned O Panneerselvam and Edappadi K Palaniswami after accepting to hear V Pugazhendhi’s complaint that he was expelled from the AIADMK on vague and baseless accounts.
The Special Court on Wednesday issued summons against AIADMK leaders and former Tamil Nadu chief ministers, O Panneerselvam and Edappadi K Palaniswami, asking them to appear before the court on August 24.
The development came after the Special Court for hearing cases against MPs and MLAs accepted to hear expelled AIADMK spokesperson V Pugazhendhi’s defamation complaint against O Panneerselvam and Edappadi K Palaniswami.
Accepting V Pugazhendhi’s complaint that he was expelled from the party on vague and baseless accounts and that the expulsion had tarnished his image and had caused mental agony for him, additional Special Court judge Alizia issued the summons against the former chief ministers.
Who is V Pugazhendhi?
V Pugazhendhi, a businessman, had been with the AIADMK for a long time before he was removed from the party. Earlier, he was also put in as the party’s in-charge in Karnataka by ex-Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa.
After the demise of the former AIADMK supremo, when the party split, V Pugazhendhi had supported TTV Dhinakaran. However, later he was taken back to the AIADMK.
He was then made an official spokesperson for the party and had even been part of many election campaigns. O Panneerselvam and Edappadi K Palaniswami had also appointed him the joint secretary of AIADMK’s ‘Puratchi Thaliavi Amma Peravai’, a forum named after the late J Jayalalithaa.
Expelled after June 14 meeting
V Pugazhendhi had stated that he was part of the campaign for the 2022 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections as well. But after a meeting between the AIADMK MLAs at the party headquarters on June 14, he was expelled. A statement was released, declaring that his membership had also been revoked.
AIADMK had accused him of having indulged in anti-party activities and violated its rules. Additionally, all the party cadres were ordered not to be in touch with Pugazhendhi.
Stating that the order passed by the AIADMK coordinator and joint coordinator was vague and baseless, V Pugazhendhi moved the Special Court against the top brass of AIADMK under Sections 499 and 500 of the IPC.
