In a major victory for independent media, the Madras High Court on 4th April 2025, dismissed a criminal case against The Commune, Tamil Nadu based news portal that carried reports of the contentious activities at Chidambaram’s Nataraja Temple during the Aani Thirumanjanam festival. The case was filed about a year and a half ago.
The case stemmed from a July 2023 FIR registered by the Chidambaram Town police based on a complaint from Village Administrative Officer (VAO) Sheikh Sirajuddin.
According to the FIR, Sirajuddin alleged that he overheard two men at a bus stand talking about the report by The Commune, which had made allegations of HR&CE officials physically attacking temple priests (the Podu Deekshitars) which led to the desecration of their religious markings. The Village Administrative Officer further accused the publication of inciting communal tensions, an alarming leap based on hearsay and public gossip.
Advocate Nithyaesh Nataraj, representing The Commune, raised questions about the absurd foundation of the case.
“Why is the Village Administrative Officer first of all sitting in a bus stand? Why is he sitting in a bus stand and noticing what other people are saying?” he asked, highlighting the weak and almost theatrical nature of the complaint.
Importantly, the allegations raised by news portal, The Commune were not unique or inflammatory; mainstream media outlets like Thanthi TV, Sun News, News18, and The Hindu had also covered the same events. In fact, the Deekshitars themselves had filed official police complaints against the HR&CE department regarding the alleged harassment.
The Court granted anticipatory bail to the publication’s directors, including BJP Tamil Nadu Secretary SG Suryah, early in the case. Now, with the proceedings officially quashed by Justice G.K. Ilanthiraiyan, The Commune stands vindicated. This ruling is a critical reaffirmation of the freedom of the press, especially for regional media voices willing to report stories that challenge entrenched bureaucracies. The case also highlights the attempts made by the ecosystem to topple down the nationalist voices while cry foul with hyperbolic tropes like “death of Indian democracy”, “fascism” etc under the Modi government.
