A metropolitan magistrate court on Monday adjourned to October 4 the trial proceedings in a defamation case filed by film director Susi Ganesan against poet and filmmaker Leena Manimekalai.
In 2019, Mr. Ganesan filed a defamation case against the poet, who accused him of sexual harassment when the #MeToo movement started. Last year, he filed a petition seeking to impound her passport as she planned to go to Canada for film-related studies, and the trial would be delayed if she was allowed to leave.
However, the metropolitan magistrate court last November passed an order closing the petition filed by Mr. Ganesan after recording the undertaking given by the poet that she would appear before the court as and when necessary.
Meanwhile, Ms. Manimekalai was offered admission by the York University, Canada, for a graduate programme in film which began in Fall 2020 on a full-time basis. She said it was mandatory for her to travel to Canada as part of her studies. She informed the court about her travel plans.
The passport authority last February had issued a show-cause notice seeking explanation as to why action should not be taken to impound her passport.
In August, yet again the passport authority issued a show-cause notice. Despite replying to the notice, her passport was impounded on September 9. She recently moved the Madras High Court against this action.
