CHENNAI: The Madras High Court imposed Rs 5 lakh cost on a relative of former minister D Jayakumar for not submitting written submission to the defamation case filed by the former minister against him.

Justice CV Karthikeyan heard the petition moved by P Magesh, brother of Jayakumar's son in law, to condone 583 days delay in not filing the written submissions.

Perusing the petition the judge directed the petitioner to deposit Rs 5 lakh in a nationalised bank and posted the matter to July 16 for further submissions.

Magesh lodged a complaint claiming that Jayakumar, his son-in-law and their men had threatened him and taken possession of a parcel of land at Thoraipakkam.

Based on the complaint the Central Crime Branch police booked Jayakumar, his son-in-law and his daughter.

Subsequently, the former minister moved a defamation suit against Magesh demanding Rs 1 crore as compensation for falsely accusing him and damaging his reputation.

While this case is pending in the High Court, Magesh filed a new petition to condone the delay in submitting written submissions.