Madras High Court declines to acquit Twitter

Madras High Court declines to acquit Twitter

The social network company has been directed to present written statements in its defence

The Madras High Court recently dismissed Twitter's application to strike off its name from the suit filed by director Susi Ganesan against filmmaker Leena Manimekalai and others. Ganesan had sought damages and a permanent injunction to restrain them from making defamatory statements against him.

The issue arose when Ganesan claimed that during the pendency of the defamation trial, Manimekalai, in connivance with singer Chinmayi Sripada, had published a post on Twitter with a photograph. He claimed that it was meant to end his career prospects by defaming him.

Twitter had moved the court claiming it was not connected with the communications between Ganesan and the defendants. It, therefore, sought its name to be struck off from the suit.

However, Ganesan's counsel submitted that Twitter was responsible for the publication of the defamatory statements against him.

The bench of Justice P Velmurugan ruled, "It can be decided only after the trial and it is for the first respondent/plaintiff to establish in the suit during the trial,"

Even as the application was dismissed for being devoid of merit, Twitter was directed by the court to present written statements in its defence.