MK Stalin case: Supreme Court hears plea by AIADMK leader SA Duraiswamy challenging TN CM Stalin’s 2011 assembly election win from Kolathur constituency.
The plea alleges that Stalin and his party representatives indulged in corrupt practices, particularly by providing money and gifts to secure votes.
Bench: Justices JK Maheshwari and Vijay Bishnoi.
Sr. Adv. DS Naidu, appearing for Duraiswamy refers to a prosecution witness statement:
Naidu: the witness is the editor of a magazine called “kumudam snehidi”.
Court: what’s the meaning of that?
Another counsel: kumudum means lotus. Snehidi means friend.
Naidu: a friend of lotus. May be figurative meaning.
Sr. Adv. Kapil Sibal (for Stalin): most inappropriate definition.
Court bursts into laughter.
Naidu: kumudam was once India’s largest selling family magazine. It’s basically a women’s magazine. Like women’s era. It’s the women’s wing of kumudam publications. Perhaps, the lotus is being compared with women and Snehidi is the friend of the woman, or the fairer sex.
Justice Maheshwari: (in jest): we can’t say anything…
Naidu argues that Kumudum Snehidi featured an article on an interview of Durga Stalin, wife of MK Stalin, wherein she says when she campaigned for her husband, many people approached her asking for many favours, etc.
Naidu: she said that when her husband (MK Stalin) came to power, she told him about the votes he has to keep and accordingly he bought bicycles etc. (to distribute).
Naidu: this was termed as “innocent charity” by the Hon’ble High Court (Madras HC) [while dismissing Duraiswamy’s election petition earlier].
Justice Maheshwari: innocent charity? Innocent charity I cannot understand. Innocent charity has been done by Karna (from Mahabharata). Not by any other.
Naidu proceeds to read an excerpt from Durga Stalin’s interview:
Naidu: the article was titled Thalapathiam Naanu.
Court: what does that mean?
Naidu: Thalapathiam means “captain”. The wife speaks about the husband (MK Stalin).
Naidu: my husband and me. My party’s captain and me, either way it can be interpreted.
Justice Maheshwari: (in jest) we can’t read what you are saying…
Naidu: one word may have many shades. They must have used some sort of creativity, nothing else.
Justice Maheshwari: what wit and humour in the court….
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