The Saidapet Metropolitan Magistrate Court in Chennai closed a petition filed by Kollywood director Susi Ganesan requesting that the travel documents of filmmaker Leena Manimekalai, who had accused him of sexual harassment, be impounded. The judge said she cannot impound Leena's documents and instead took an affidavit from her counsel assuring the court that she will be present for hearings and the judgment of the defamation case filed against her by Susi Ganesan.
The petition to impound her documents was filed in September and Susi Ganesan alleged that Leena was going to migrate to Canada for film related studies. He further compared her to business tycoon Vijay Mallya who had defrauded banks and fled the country. Susi Ganesan claimed he was filing this petition to avoid a circumstance where Leena would have to be extradited and alleged she was attempting to escape the country.
On Wednesday, Leena's counsel produced documents in the court to show that she had been admitted into a Canadian University for film related studies and made it clear that she had no intention of immigrating to another country or fleeing India. They further submitted an affidavit assuring the court of the same.
"It is true that I have secured admission in York University, Canada, because of my meritorious academic and intellectual career. I do not intend to migrate to Canada. I am a proud Indian and do not intend giving up my citizenship. It is October, 2020 and I am still here in India. It is false to say that I intend to go away permanently from India," Leena had already clarified in her counter petition, which was filed in October.
Leena had earlier called the comparison libelous and defamatory and said that Susi Ganesan’s intention was to further victimise and harass her.
Following this, the court stated that the petition was closed. The defamation case that Susi Ganesan had filed against Leena in 2019 will see its next hearing on December 5.