ORDER

1. Leave granted.

2. In 1994, a complaint came to be filed against the appellant by the respondent under Section 200 IPC alleging that because of some press statements made by the appellant, which appeared in the press in June 1990, he (the respondent) suffered reduction in the sale of SPIC products, thereby incurring losses. The appellant approached the High Court of Judicature at Madras through a petition under Section 482 CrPC praying for quashing of the complaint pending in the Court of Judicial Magistrate, Aruppukottai. A learned Single Judge of the High Court on 1-3-1996, while dismissing the petition filed by the appellant made the following order :

"The petitioner is seeking for quashing the complaint registered for the offence under Section 200 IPC namely, using a statement knowing it to be false. The circumstance under which he used the statement knowing it to be false, is a question of fact to be determined during trial. Having regard to the quantum of punishment contemplated for such an offence, it is triable by warrant procedure and he can raise all the contentions at the appropriate stage before the court below. I see no ground to quash the complaint. The petiti