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Sun TV serves Rs 50 m defamation notice on Jayalalitha

Sun TV, the Madras-based private Tamil television channel, on Wednesday served a legal notice on All India Anna DMK general secretary and former Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalitha, for alleging that it was behind the cutting of Doordarshan telephone lines on the eve of Tamil New Year's day.

Sun TV has sent a similar notice to an English daily for publishing Jayalalitha's statement in this connection in which she demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation probe into the alleged sabotage.

Advocate S Mohamed Yousuf, representing Sun TV's managing director Kalanidhi Maran, said the allegation was false and baseless, and had been made with the intention of defaming Sun TV.

The notice said the channel had been reporting the various court proceedings against Jayalalitha, and because she was unable to tolerate it she had come out with the malicious charge.

Sun TV has stated that it would initiate legal action in civil and criminal courts if Jayalalitha failed to tender an unconditional apology and pay Rs 50 million within ten days.

Sun TV also wanted the English daily to publish an unconditional apology for publishing the news item within ten days, failing which it would initiate legal action.

A team of AIADMK MPs led by Sedapatti R Muthiah had submitted a petition to Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Sushma Swaraj at Delhi on Tuesday, seeking action against Sun TV in this connection.

UNI

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