Shivani Gadhavi –
Published On: December 04, 2021 at 17:00 IST
The Madras High Court, on December 3rd, 2021, rescinded an order of the Regional Passport Authority which stated the confiscation of the passport of Leena Manimekalai, the well-known filmmaker, lyricist, and author.
The famous Tamil film director Susi Ganeshan had filed a private complaint against Leena Manimekalai under Section 200 of the Criminal Procedure Code in the IX Metropolitan Magistrate in Saidapet. The complaint accused Leena of ruining Mr. Ganeshan’s reputation by making social media posts against him during the ‘Me too’ Movement in 2019.
Hence, Leena Manimekalai is facing a lawsuit against her under the charges of Section 499 and 500 of the Indian Penal Code i.e., for defamation. The Regional Passport Authority had, therefore, issued an order for impoundment of her passport as she was facing a case of defamation against her.
Justice M. Dhandapani of the Madras High Court advised Leena Manimekalai to be present in front of a lower court concerning the proceedings against her in the defamation case. The High Court was hearing a writ petition filed by Manimekalai regarding a criminal petition filed by Mr. Ganeshan to impound her passport.
The High Court Judge expressed his dismay for the impoundment of the passport passed by the Regional Passport Authority and stated that the order was passed without putting proper reasonability to it.
The Judge opined, “In such a scenario, this court is of the considered view that the impugned order passed by the passport authority deserves to be set aside.”