JUDGMENT

(Prayer: This Criminal Original Petition is filed under Section 482 of the Criminal Procedure Code, to call for the records pertaining to the complaint filed by the respondent in C.C No.37 of 2016 on the file of the Judicial Magistrate No.I, Tirunelveli and set aside the same.)

Background facts:

1. The petitioners herein stand accused of having committed the offences under Section 500 r/w 109 of IPC in C.C No.37 of 2016 on the file of the Judicial Magistrate No.I, Tirunelveli. It is a private complaint filed by the respondent herein. The offending publication appeared in the February 1-7, 2015 issue of Economic Times Magazine. It was titled “Scam on the Shores”. It alleged that illegal beach sand mining of atomic minerals like monazite was taking place along the southern coastline of Tamil Nadu. The scandal was said to be of monumental proportions. The third petitioner Mrs.Sandhya Ravishankar had written the article based on W.P No.1592 of 2015, a public interest litigation filed by one Victor Rajamanickam before the Madras High Court. According to the report, the Tamil Nadu Government had authorised the respondent to mine and export monazite which is a prescribed substance.