Supreme Court today stayed the summons issued by a lower court to DMDK leader and actor Vijayakanth on a criminal defamation complaint filed against him by Tamil Nadu government for his alleged criticism of the Aavin milk scam.
A bench headed by Justice Dipak Misra, besides staying the operation of the summons, issued notices to the Centre and Tamil Nadu government on Vijayakanth's plea seeking quashing of the criminal defamation case.
Earlier, the state government had accorded sanction to try the opposition leader in the case for making statement against B V Ramanaa, Minister for Milk and Diary Development Department.
A lower court had issued summons against the actor-turned -politician seeking his appearance before it on January 21.
The scam involved alleged diversion of milk supply vans of Aavin, co-operative milk society of Tamil Nadu government, on their way from various districts to Chennai and diluting the milk in them with water.
Vijayakant also challenged the constitutional validity of Sections 499 and 500 (defamation) of the IPC alleging that these provisions violated fundamental right of freedom of speech and expression.
