CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Tuesday granted an interim stay on the investigation against former Director General of Police and ex-MLA of AIADMK R Nataraj for an alleged allegation of having spread malicious comments against the State government.

Justice G Jayachandran heard the case filed by Nataraj seeking to quash the FIR filed against him.

The counsel for Nataraj submitted that despite defamatory and malicious comments being spread against his clients in WhatsApp groups, no action has been taken by the police.

After the submission, the judge directed the police to submit the actions taken against the persons who had spread defamatory comments against Nataraj and posted the matter to January 19 for further hearing.

The Tiruchy police lodged an FIR against Nataraj under various sections of IPC, based on the complaint registered by an advocate Sheela of DMK. The complainant stated that Nataraj had spread a false message through his X handle that the DMK government demolished more than 2,000 temples in the State.

Hence, the complaint was registered on the allegations that he promoted enmity, hatred, or ill will between classes by spreading false messages.

Aggrieved by the FIR, Nataraj moved the HC seeking to quash the FIR registered against him.