1. This is an appeal by special leave under S.417 (3) Crl. P.C. to quash the order of acquittal passed by the District Magistrate of Trivandrum in Calendar Case No. 24 of 1962. The complainant Sri. G. Chandrasekhara Pillai is an Ex-Minister, a member of the Kerala Legislative Assembly and was the President of the Trivandrum District Textile Printing and Allied Mills Industrial Co-operative Society Limited (shortly stated the society). The accused Sri G. Raman Pillai is the Editor, Printer and Publisher of a weekly called 'Navasakthi' having a fairly good circulation in Trivandrum City and other places.

2. The appellant filed a complaint before the District Magistrate, Trivandrum against the respondent alleging that he had defamed him by publishing in his weekly paper, an article purporting to be from one R. Sankara Pillai entitled "An alarming hoax" with a sub heading "Attempted swindle of eight lakhs of rupees" and for having circulated the same among the public. The case of the appellant is that the allegations contained in the article in so far as it refers to him are absolutely false and baseless and was made and published with intent to defame and harm his reputatio