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Synopsis

In the Chennai District Principal Sessions Court, a defamation case has been filed against AIADMK leader Edappadi Karuppa Palaniswami (EPS) and BJP’s Tamil Nadu president K Annamalai for statements against Chief Minister and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leader MK Stalin concerning a drug trafficking case.

On behalf of the Chief Minister, the public prosecutor has filed the defamation suit against the opposition party leaders.

The suit alleges that the opposition leaders, motivated by political hostility, have made deliberate attempts to tarnish the Chief Minister's reputation with defamatory allegations.

EPS and Annamali recently slammed the DMK-led state government for the purported involvement of expelled DMK member Jaffar Sadiq Abdul Rehman in an international drug smuggling ring.

On March 9, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) apprehended Jaffer Sadiq, a former DMK functionary and Tamil movie producer, in connection with the agency's recent crackdown on a Rs 2,000 crore international drug trafficking network.

The NCB has accused Jaffer Sadiq of being the mastermind behind the India-Australia-New Zealand drug trafficking network.

Sadiq was holding the position of Chennai West deputy organizer within the NRI wing of the DMK. Notably, on February 25, DMK expelled Sadiq from the party for “indulging in activities that brought dishonour to the party”.

EPS stirred controversy by stating that “Tamil Nadu is becoming a haven for drug smugglers" and "it is shameful for the DMK to have a functionary involved in a drug racket".

Likewise, BJP state president Annamalai shared a video on his social media page on X, connecting CM Stalin-led Government to the matter. 

To the media, Annamalai said that NCB should go to the root of the issue and nab all associates of Sadiq, who held a significant position in DMK and misused his influence.