CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has directed an inquiry into a complaint lodged by a BJP functionary against Minister Mano Thangaraj for allegedly disseminating false information about Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The petition was filed by M Neethipandian, president of the BJP’s Legal Wing, Thoothukudi North District.
The petitioner stated that he came across an objectionable Facebook post by State Milk and Dairy Development Minister Mano Thangaraj, which contained an allegedly fabricated and morphed video linking the Prime Minister to the ‘Epstein Files’.
Independent fact-checking organisations have categorically debunked these claims as 100 per cent fabricated, with no evidentiary basis whatsoever, the petitioner claimed.
According to him, despite lodging a complaint with the Kovilpatti west police station against the minister, the police failed to register an FIR.
The complaint contained complete evidence, including a screenshot of the alleged video. Despite this, the police failed to register an FIR, he added.
Hence, the petitioner moved the court seeking a direction to the Kovilpatti west police to take appropriate action against the minister.
When the matter came up for hearing, Justice AD Jagadish Chandira directed the complainant to appear before the Kovilpatti police station and ordered the police to conduct an inquiry into the complaint. The matter was then adjourned by two weeks.