The District Sessions Court on Wednesday issued a non-bailable warrant against Congress MLA and Mahila Congress National General secretary S.Vijayadharani in a criminal defamation case against her.

Public Prosecutor A Gnanasekaran had filed the case on behalf of Chief Minister Jayalalithaa.

When the case came up for hearing, Vijayadharani, who was asked to appear in court, was not present.

District Sessions Court Judge Satheesh Kumar issued the non-bailable warrant (NBW) against her as she did not turn up for the second time.

At a public meeting in Kanyakumari district on July 9 last year, Vijayadharani and TNCC chief E V K S Elangovan, had allegedly made defamatory remarks against Jayalalithaa. Cases were registered against both of them.

There was no advocate to represent Vijayadharani as the advocates were boycotting the court protesting amendments to the Advocates Act.

Besides she was mourning the death of her husband and the obsequies were not yet over. Hence she could not appear in court, Vijayadharani's supporters said.