Susi Ganesan defamation suit: Chennai court rejects Leena Manimekalai’s petition

CHENNAI: A sessions

court

in Chennai has turned down poet-filmmaker Leena Manimekalai’s petition seeking transfer of a

defamation suit

pending before a Saidapet magistrate court, filed by filmmaker Susi Ganesan against her.


Leena, in her petition, alleged that she had been imparted partial treatment by the presiding officer of the court and had been made to wait till evening without any reason when she appeared for hearing in the case.

The defamation suit against Leena followed after her social media posts in 2019 alleging harassment by Susi Ganesan. He stated that Manimekalai’s accusations were baseless, aimed at tarnishing his name and reputation in the industry.

Leena’s passport was also impounded by the Chennai regional passport officer (RPO) in view of the pending criminal defamation complaint filed by Susi Ganesan. The Madras high court quashed the order impounding the passport in December 2021.

On Leena’s contentions that the magistrate allowed reopening the defamation suit mechanically, principal sessions judge S Alli noted that the magistrate had passed an order to reopen the case after hearing both sides and had not violated principles of natural justice.

On her contention that she had been made to wait in the court without any reason and allegation that she had been made to wait on the request of Susi Ganesan’s counsel, the principal sessions judge stated, “In general, parties in proceedings are made to wait in court for several reasons and it all depends on stage of the case. The petitioner, being a well-educated woman, should understand the circumstances on which she was made to wait in court and it cannot be doubted against the presiding officer.”

Making these observations, the principal sessions judge dismissed Leena’s petition to transfer the case from the 9th metropolitan magistrate sourt, Saidapet.