Supreme Court Urges Actors Vijay Sethupathi & Maha Ghandhi To Settle Defamation Case, Refers Matter To Mediation

Urging Tamil actors Vijay Sethupathi and Maha Ghhandhi to settle the defamation case between them, the Supreme Court on Friday referred the matter to mediation at the Supreme Court's mediation centre.

A bench comprising Justices Dinesh Maheshwari and Justice PV Sanjay Kumar was hearing the petition filed by Sethupathi seeking to quash the criminal defamation case filed by Maha Gandhi. The issue relates to an alleged brawl which both the actors got into at the Bengaluru airport in November 2021. Gandhi filed a criminal case alleging that Sethupathi and his manager attacked him. He also included the criminal provisions relating to defamation in the complaint, alleging that Sethupathi made disparaging remarks against him in an interview.

At the Supreme Court today, Sethupahti's lawyer submitted that the Madras High Court quashed all other charges except Section 500 IPC(criminal defamation). The counsel argued that Sethupathi is entitled to the benefit of exception 9 to Section 499 IPC, as the comments were made in good faith to protect his own interests. 

"The petitioner is a renowned actor, the respondent was in a drunken state. There was derogatory behaviour from respondent's part", the counsel submitted.

Justice Maheshwari then said that the petitioner ought to have been more restrained given his stature as an actor with wide popularity.

"You are a theatre person, your voice matters, it imprints on the public. If you are an actor with wide following, then you are supposed to be more disciplined. As a responsible person, you are not supposed to call names", the judge said. The counsel replied that the petitioner was constrained to make the statement in an interview to clear the air about the incident.

The bench observed that it is a matter which is capable of a compromise.

"This is not that kind of a litigation where ego should be allowed to expand beyond a point...this can be taken to a peaceful end, while maintaining self-esteem. Work out some settlement", Justice Maheshwari suggested. The judge told Gandhi's lawyer that his client's conduct was also not free from blame.

"There is some fault on both parties side. Both of you are not free from blemish completely. But try to work out a settlement", Justice Maheshwari suggested while passing over the matter to enable the lawyers to get instructions regarding the willingness of the parties to attend mediation.

When the matter was taken after sometime, the bench was informed that the parties are willing to appear for mediation. Recording that, the bench asked the parties to appear at the SC's mediation centre on March 2.

"Settle and you can play Holi together", Justice Maheshwari noted in a lighter vein (Holi falls on March second week).

Case : Vijay Gurunata Setupathi versus Maha Ghandhi |SLP(Crl) No. 9772/2022