M. VADIVEL Vs. STATE OF TAMIL NADU

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This Criminal Original Petition has been filed to quash the proceedings pending in C.C.No.20 of 2021 on the file of the learned Additional Mahila Judge, Karur.

(2.) The second respondent gave a complaint against the petitioner alleging that the petitioner was sending false complaints against the second respondent to various authorities and by making baseless allegations and that the petitioner was repeatedly alleging that the second respondent is involved in corruption. Action was initiated against the petitioner for insubordination and the petitioner was preventing the second respondent from effectively doing her official duty. When the second respondent went for inspection to the concerned School, the petitioner threatened the second respondent that she is a woman and that she must only comply with what the petitioner is saying and thereby the second respondent was harassed. The sum and substance of the complaint is that the petitioner was continuously harassing the second respondent by sending E-mails with derogative remarks / statements and threatening letters along with the newspaper clippings and also subjected the second respondent to an investigation by the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti Corruption, which was investigated and closed. That apart, the petitioner even without having any consideration that the second respondent is a lady was continuously sending defamatory petitions and E-mails to all schools and higher authorities. Based on this complaint, an FIR came to be registered by the second respondent in Crime No.264 of 2014. On completion of investigation, the police report was filed before the learned Judicial Magistrate No.I, Karur and later, the case was made over to the learned Additional Mahila Judge, Karur and was taken cognizance for offence under Ss. 353, 506(i) and 507 of IPC and Sec. 4 of Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Women Act, 1998. After taking cognizance, process was issued to the petitioner and the proceedings has been put to challenge in the present quash petition.

(3.) Heard the learned counsel on either side.