Jaya denies beating up Maurya bearer, files defamation suit
The AIADMK general secretary, J Jayalalitha, has filed a Rs 1 million defamation suit in the city civil court in Chennai against actress-turned-politician Latha for
alleging that she (Jayalalitha) had beaten up a bearer during her stay at the
Maurya Sheraton Hotel in New Delhi, in April last.
Latha, who had paired with Jayalalitha's political mentor
M G Ramachandran in several films in the seventies, is currently the
deputy general secretary of the MGR-ADMK led by former minister
S Thirunavukkarasu.
In her petition, Jayalalitha stated that Latha had made the
defamatory speech at a public meeting organised by the MGR-ADMK at
suburban Tiruvottiyur on May 2. Latha had also claimed that she
had come to know about the alleged incident when she had stayed at
the same hotel later.
Referring to Latha's subsequent allegation that "beating up
people was not new to Jayalalitha", the AIADMK leader said the
allegation was totally baseless and motivated. It had been made to
tarnish her political image constituting defamation, she added.
Jayalalitha said she had sent a legal notice to Latha on
May 4 asking her to tender a public apology, but the latter chose
not to respond to the same.
Following the petition, Sixth Additional Judge B Munirathnam
ordered notice, returnable on September 9, to Latha.
UNI
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