The Supreme Court on Friday referred the defamation case between Tamil actors Vijay Sethupathi and Maha Gandhi to mediation at the Supreme Court’s mediation Centre, urging them to settle it.
A bench comprised of Justices Dinesh Maheshwari and PV Sanjay Kumar was hearing Sethupathi’s petition seeking to quash criminal defamation case filed by Maha Gandhi.
The controversy sparked from an alleged brawl between both actors at the Bengaluru airport in November 2021. Gandhi filed a criminal complaint accusing Sethupathi and his manager of attacking him. He also included criminal defamation provisions in the complaint, alleging that Sethupathi made disparaging remarks about him in an interview.
Sethupahti’s lawyer told the Supreme Court today that the Madras High Court quashed all other charges except Section 500 IPC (criminal defamation). The counsel contended that Sethupathi is entitled to the benefit of exception 9 to Section 499 IPC because the comments were made in good faith to protect his own interests.
The counsel submitted, “The petitioner is a well-known actor, and the respondent was in a drunken state. There was derogatory behaviour from respondent’s part.”
Justice Maheshwari then stated that given his stature as an actor with the wide popularity, the petitioner should have been more restrained.
“You are a theatre performer, and your voice has an impact on the audience. If you are a well-known actor, you are expected to be more disciplined. You are not supposed to call names as a responsible person “, said the judge. The petitioner was forced to make the statement in an interview, the counsel replied, in order to clear the air about the incident.
The bench observed that it is a matter that can be resolved through compromise.
“This is not the type of case where the ego should be allowed to grow beyond a certain point. This can be resolved peacefully while maintaining self-esteem. Work out some settlement,” Justice Maheshwari suggested. The judge informed Gandhi’s lawyer that his client’s behaviour was also not free from blame.
“There is some fault on both sides. You are both not completely free of blemishes. However, try to work out a settlement,” Justice Maheshwari suggested while passing over the matter to enable the lawyers obtain instructions regarding the parties’ willingness to attend mediation.
When the matter was taken after sometime, the bench was informed that the parties are willing to appear for mediation. Taking note of this, the bench ordered the parties to appear at the Supreme Court’s mediation centre on March 2.
“Settle, and you can play Holi together,” Justice Maheshwari stated in a lighter vein.
