A special court for cases against Members of Parliament and Members of Legislative Assemblies sentenced senior BJP leader H Raja to six months in prison in two separate criminal defamation cases on December 2, 2024. The cases stemmed from remarks Raja made in 2018 that were deemed defamatory towards EV Ramaswamy Naicker (Periyar), late DMK leader M. Karunanidhi, and Thoothukudi MP Kanimozhi.
Special court judge J. Jayavel, while delivering the verdict, imposed fines of ₹2,000 and ₹3,000 in the respective cases. However, the court suspended the sentences for 30 days to allow Raja to appeal the verdict in the Madras High Court.
The defamation cases were initiated after H Raja’s controversial remarks in 2018. According to the prosecution, Raja’s comments were inflammatory and aimed at tarnishing the reputation of Periyar, Karunanidhi, and Kanimozhi. The FIRs were filed under sections 500, 501, 502, 153, and 504 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), which pertain to criminal defamation and promoting enmity.
Raja’s attempts to quash the FIRs failed at multiple judicial levels. In 2023, Justice N. Anand Venkatesh of the Madras High Court refused to quash the FIRs stating that Raja had a “proclivity” for making unsavory comments, leading to repeated legal trouble. Justice G. Jayachandran, in April 2024, dismissed another petition from Raja and directed the MP/MLA court to expedite the trial and conclude it within three months.
The Supreme Court also declined to provide relief, with Justices Hrishikesh Roy and Prashant Kumar Mishra remarking on the need for politicians to exercise caution in their public statements. After a fast-tracked trial, the special court convicted Raja of criminal defamation and sentenced him to six months imprisonment for each case.
The sentences are to run concurrently. Judge J. Jayavel emphasized the importance of maintaining decorum in public discourse while delivering the judgment. Despite the suspension of the sentence for a month, allowing Raja to file an appeal, the verdict has drawn significant political and public attention.
Comments