HONOURABLE MR. MANINDRA MOHAN SHRIVASTAVA, CHIEF JUSTICE AND THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE G.ARUL MURUGAN WP No. 608 of 2026 1. P. Naveenprasad S/o Pandian No 3/41-a Adidravidar colony, Anaikattu, Vellore District 632 101 Petitioner(s) Vs 1. Home Secretary State of tamil nadu, The Secretairat, fort St. George, chennai 09 2.Director General of Police, Police head Quarters, Dr. Radhkrishnan Salai, Mylapore, Chennai 600 004 3.Commissioner of Police, Chennai No 132, Commissioner office Building, EVK Sampath road, ‘Vepery, Periyamet, Chennai 600 007 4.Inspector of Police J-1 Saidapet Police staiton, No 49/1, Anna Salai, Saidpaet, Chennai 600 015 5.Keezhaikaatru Publishers, Stalls 173 and 174 chennai Book Fair,Nandanam, Chennai 35 Respondent(s) For Petitioner(s): Mr. B. Jagannath For Respondent(s):Mr.E.Vijay Anand Addl. Govt. Pleader For R1 To R4. Mr.Ar.L.Sundaresan Addl. Solicitor General Of India Assisted By Mr.A.Kumaraguru Mr.V.Chandrasekaran Dr.G.Babu And Mr.B.Sudhir Kumar. ORDER (Order of the Court was made by the Hon’ble Chief Justice)

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS
DATED: 07.01.2026
CORAM
THE HONOURABLE MR. MANINDRA MOHAN SHRIVASTAVA,
CHIEF JUSTICE
AND
THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE G.ARUL MURUGAN
WP No. 608 of 2026
1. P. Naveenprasad
S/o Pandian No 3/41-a Adidravidar
colony, Anaikattu, Vellore District
632 101
Petitioner(s)
Vs
1. Home Secretary
State of tamil nadu, The Secretairat, fort St. George, chennai 09
2.Director General of Police, Police head Quarters, Dr.
Radhkrishnan Salai, Mylapore, Chennai 600 004
3.Commissioner of Police, Chennai
No 132, Commissioner office
Building, EVK Sampath road,
‘Vepery, Periyamet, Chennai 600
007
4.Inspector of Police
J-1 Saidapet Police staiton, No
49/1, Anna Salai, Saidpaet, Chennai 600 015
5.Keezhaikaatru Publishers,
Stalls 173 and 174 chennai Book
Fair,Nandanam, Chennai 35
Respondent(s)
For Petitioner(s): Mr. B. Jagannath
For Respondent(s):Mr.E.Vijay Anand Addl. Govt. Pleader For R1 To R4.
Mr.Ar.L.Sundaresan
Addl. Solicitor General Of
India Assisted By
Mr.A.Kumaraguru
Mr.V.Chandrasekaran Dr.G.Babu And Mr.B.Sudhir Kumar.
ORDER
(Order of the Court was made by the Hon’ble Chief Justice)
The matter is of serious concern and emergent attention of this Court has been brought to the notice through this petition, wherein it has been stated in affidavit that the 5th respondent/Publisher and persons associated with the 5th respondent are going to release a book, which contains a title with specific name of a sitting Judge of this
Court in extremely derogatory language.
2. Learned counsel for the petitioner would submit that a copy of the title page/front page of the book is being circulated in the media including social media, which has been placed on record and has prayed this Court to peruse the same.
3. Having perused the said document, which is said to be the title page/front page of the book proposed to be released/published on 08.01.2026 at the opening of Chennai Book Fair, at once, would show that the pictorial representation, the caricature and the expressions/words used are not only highly derogatory, but virtually abusive. The pictorial representation directly points out with face and name of a sitting Judge of this Court.
4. Learned Additional Solicitor General of India and learned Additional Government pleader appearing for the State would submit that if this to be the title of a book, it is apparently derogatory, abusive and highly contemptuous, as it tends to scandalise the Court and tends to erode the public confidence in the system.
5. We find that the title of the book also shows that the same is proposed to be released on 08.01.2026 from Shop Nos.172 and 173 at
the Chennai Book Fair. The allegation in the petition is against the 5th respondent, who is stated to be a publisher, who has been allotted Shop No.173.
6. On the face of it, the proposed release of the book as titled and shown in the petition is highly derogatory and abusive and crosses all limits and needs to be dealt with stern hands by the Court. Learned State counsel present in Court, who represents the police officials/Respondent Nos.2, 3 and 4, is directed to take immediate and effective action to ensure that no such book having such pictorial representation, statements, caricature or contents tending to scandalise the Court/Judge are allowed to be published and circulated.
6.1. Appropriate action shall be taken by the police authorities including to ensure that such scandalised publications do not take place, which may include seizure of pictorial representation and the contents of the nature as stated above, through any means including electronic media.
7. On the basis of the material which we find in the petition, we
are inclined to initiate suo motu criminal contempt against 5th respondent.
8. Emergent notice be issued to 5th respondent including private notice to be served at Stall No.173, Chennai Book Fair. Notice be made returnable in three weeks.
9. On the next date of hearing, learned State counsel shall also submit a report with regard to the compliance of the direction given today.
List the matter on 28.01.2026.
(MANINDRA MOHAN SHRIVASTAVA, CJ.) (G.ARUL MURUGAN, J.)
07.01.2026
sra
Note: Order to be uploaded today itself.
THE HON’BLE CHIEF JUSTICE
AND
G.ARUL MURUGAN, J.
(sra)
To
1. The Home Secretary, State of Tamil Nadu, Secretariat, Fort St. George, Chennai 600 009.
2. The Director General of Police,
Police Head Quarters,
Dr. Radhakrishnan Salai, Mylapore, Chennai 600 004.
3. The Commissioner of Police, No.132, Commissioner Office Building, EVK Sampath Road, Vepery, Periyamet, Chennai 600 007.
4. The Inspector of Police, J-1 Saidapet Police Station, No.49/1, Anna Salai, Saidapete, Chennai 600 015.
5. Keezhaikaatru Publishers
Stalls 173 and 174, Chennai Book Fair, Nandanam, Chennai 600 035.
WP No.608 of 2026
07.01.2026