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Defamation case against Alphonse, Express

By Our Staff Reporter

CHENNAI JULY 22. The TNCC spokesman, Peter Alphonse, today appeared before the principal sessions court here in connection with a defamation complaint filed by the Government.

The Editor (TN) and the Printer and the Publisher, The New Indian Express, have also been arraigned as accused for having carried the report, `Threat to arrest (Kolathur) Mani inhuman, says Cong.', dated November 30, 2002.

While Mr. Alphonse filed a petition seeking to dispense with his further appearance in court, others filed separate petitions seeking exemption from appearance just for today.

The former MP was reported in the daily as having stated the decision of the Tamil Nadu Government to arrest Mani as and when he entered the State would upset the Karnataka Government's plan to send him as an emissary to the forest brigand, Veerappan, for securing the release of H. Nagappa, former Minister (since murdered).

According to the city public prosecutor, who filed the complaint on behalf of the Chief Minister, the Congress leader's statement that "Jayalalithaa had a hand-in-glove accord with the former Karnataka DGP, Dinakar, to create a political crisis for S.M. Krishna", was false, frivolous and mischievous.

He alleged that the report was published and circulated only to "tarnish Ms. Jayalalithaa's individual image, held in high esteem by all political parties in various States".

The principal sessions judge, M. Jeyapaul, posted the matter to September 18.

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