Chennai: The defamation case filed by DMK MP Dayanidhi Maran against AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS) was adjourned to September 19, by the Special Court for MLAs and MPs in Chennai on Tuesday.

The court appearance by Palaniswami comes in response to allegations made during a previous parliamentary election campaign, where he accused Dayanidhi Maran of not utilizing 75 percent of his parliamentary constituency development funds.

Appearing before Judge Jayavelu, Palaniswami denied the accusations, maintaining that his statements were based on press reports. Following this, the court decided to adjourn the trial to the 19th of September for further proceedings.

At a press conference later, EPS’ lawyer, Inpadurai, stated, “Edappadi Palaniswami spoke on the basis of the press report. We told the court that we are ready to proceed with the defamation case.”

The case, initially filed in the Egmore Court by Dayanidhi Maran, was later transferred to the Special Court for MPs and MLAs operating in the Chennai District Collectorate, which is designated to handle criminal cases involving elected officials.

On Tuesday, Palaniswami was accompanied by AIADMK senior leaders D. Jayakumar, C. V. Shanmugam, and several MLAs, along with party cadres, underscoring the significance of the case within the party ranks.

The trial’s adjournment extends the legal battle between the AIADMK and DMK, highlighting the ongoing tensions between the two major political parties in Tamil Nadu. The next court date on September 19 will likely draw considerable attention as both sides continue to contest the allegations and their implications.