The Supreme Court rebukes Tamil Nadu CM J Jayalalithaa over the several defamation cases filed by her. The SC tells Jayalalithaa that she is a public figure and must face criticism. "You cannot use a defamation case to throttle democracy," the court said. The court issues a notice to the CM on a petition alleging misuse of defamation law.

The court was hearing a petition filed by actor-politician Vijayakanth requesting that an arrest warrant against him be cancelled.

Vijayakanth, who is known as 'captain' and heads the Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam, was named in a police complaint after he commented that Jayalalithaa is heading a corrupt government.

There are 14 defamation cases against him for his comments criticizing the government, especially that the floods that wrecked Chennai in December 2015 had been artificially caused.

No other state misuses the state machinery like the TN government. Defamation cases cant be slapped for merely reporting on CMs health condition, the SC said.