A gag order on media, which shielded superstar Rajinikanth's family from criticism and prevented publication of news relating to money deals done during his flopped film 'Kochadaiyaan', is off now.
Vacating an interim injunction granted last year, Justice R Subbiah on Tuesday said: "Every citizen has a right to safeguard the privacy of his own, his family, marriage, procreation, motherhood and education, among other matters. If any publication was made with regard to privacy of the citizen without his consent, then definitely he is entitled to injunction. But, in this case, the publication was made only in respect of commercial transaction that had taken place. When that being so, this court cannot grant an injunction as sought for."
The order of interim injunction was issued by the court on December 8, 2014 against various media organizations, restraining them from publishing any news item, including a police complaint lodged by the film's two financiers " Ad Bureau and Madhubala Nahar. Justice Subbiah said: "I do not find anything wrong in publication of news item in newspapers. Press reports cannot be treated as defamatory statement."