The AIADMK leadership led by former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and interim general secretary of the party, Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS) has sent a legal notice to O. Panneerselvam (OPS), also a former Chief Minister, and ex-coordinator of the party.
The legal wing of the AIADMK in the notice served on Thursday said that OPS does not have any right to use the name of the party, its symbol, or even its office address as the legal possession of the headquarters was with it the party interim general secretary EPS.
The notice also stated that this was substantiated by the Madras High Court and thereafter confirmed by the Supreme Court.
The legal notice also stated that the act of OPS as an outsider of the party does not have any right to use the name of the party or to portray and misrepresent as its co-ordinator and treasurer.
The AIADMK in the notice said: "My client states that your conduct of forging and fabricating the official seal of the headquarters and creating a letterhead are clearly acts of 'misrepresentation' and 'forgery' and thus you are liable to be punished in accordance with the law."
The notice also said that OPS had deliberately and willfully acted in contravention of the orders of the High Court and Supreme Court and that will also attract severe civil and other consequences in law.
The AIADMK legal notice also called upon Panneerselvam to forthwith withdraw the illegal notice issued in the name of the headquarters of the AIADMK party and to further desist from using the name or seal of the party.
The party notice also said that if he failed to withdraw the illegal notice, the party would be constrained to take appropriate civil and criminal proceedings against him at the appropriate forum.
The legal notice was sent to OPS following the former Chief Minister conducting a meeting of the district secretaries of the party appointed by him at Chennai on Wednesday.
OPS had in the meeting slammed EPS and said that he was a dictator and had come out strongly against removing late Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa from the post of 'eternal general secretary' of AIADMK.
It may be noted that OPS was expelled from the AIADMK during the party general council meeting held on July 11, 2022.
He was expelled from even the primary membership of the party and party leader Dindigul Sreenivasan was appointed treasurer of the party, a post held by OPS.
The Madras High Court on September 2, upheld the decisions of the AIADMK general council meeting and on September 12, the Supreme Court dismissed the plea of Panneerselvam challenging the Madras High Court order.
