Days before the opening of the 49th Chennai Book Fair, a controversy erupted over the inclusion of a book that openly vilifies a sitting judge of the Madras High Court, Justice GR Swaminathan, raising concerns about the targeting of the judiciary through ideological publishing platforms.
A formal complaint seeking registration of an FIR has since been filed with the Chennai Police against the authors and publishers of the book, alleging criminal defamation, deliberate scandalisation of the judiciary, and circulation of offensive material. The complaint argues that the use of a major public book fair to circulate such material lends legitimacy to personal attacks on a constitutional authority.
The publication, titled “Thirupparankundram Issue: GR Swaminathan – Judge or RSS Rowdy?”, carries a caricature of Justice Swaminathan in judicial robes and is priced at ₹30. Rather than engaging with any specific judgment or legal reasoning, the book questions the legitimacy of the judge himself, blurring the line between critique of judicial decisions and personal vilification.
Chennai resident S Muralidharan has lodged a formal complaint with the city police seeking registration of an FIR against those responsible for the book’s authorship, publication, advertisement, and distribution.
In his complaint, Muralidharan states that the book and its promotional material amount to “criminal defamation, deliberate scandalisation of the judiciary, promotion of hatred, and circulation of offensive material targeting a sitting judge”. He further alleges that the caricatures and captions are “designed to lower the dignity of a constitutional court, malign the judge’s impartiality, and provoke public distrust against the justice delivery system.”
The complaint invokes provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, corresponding to offences such as criminal defamation, promotion of enmity, and acts tending to scandalise or lower the authority of courts, and also notes the applicability of proceedings under the Contempt of Courts Act.
According to the complainant, filing the complaint itself became an ordeal. He said he was made to shuttle between multiple police jurisdictions, Kotturpuram, Saidapet, and Butt Road, before the office of the Joint Commissioner of Police (South Zone) finally accepted the complaint. An acknowledgement has since been issued, and an action taken report is awaited.
Filed a complaint of criminal defamation, deliberate scandalisation of the judiciary, spreading hate and circulation of offensive material against the publishers of this book about Hon’ble GRSJ.
I was made to run from Kotturpuram to Saidapet to Butt road and finally the JCs… pic.twitter.com/0XR20M5t7W
— S. Muralidharan (@BalambalMurali) January 5, 2026
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