Madras High Court orders Adithya TV to air apology for mocking freedom fighter VOC

The Madras High Court has directed Adithya TV to telecast an apology from four participants who mocked freedom fighter VO Chidambaram Pillai (VOC) in a promo, and to hold an annual elocution competition about him. The order came on a petition by advocate R Kanagavel Pandian, who sought an FIR after his police complaint was ignored. The channel told the court the episode was cancelled and the promo removed after objections from VOC's family, and that the participants' apology would be aired. Justice L Victoria Gowri noted the media's social responsibility and ordered the apology telecast three times in a prominent slot within two weeks, plus the state-level competition for students. The judge said the remedial measures aim to preserve VOC's ideals of self-respect and indigenous enterprise, not to censor humour. She added that educational institutions, media, and citizens share a duty to keep his legacy alive, and disposed of the petition.