BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT DATED: 02.03.2026 CORAM THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE G.R.SWAMINATHAN SUB APPLICATION (MD)No.94 of 2026 in Cont P(MD) No.3657 of 2025 S.Paramasivam ... Petitioner Vs. 1.K.J.Praveenkumar, IAS, District Collector, Madurai. 2.J.Loganathan IPS, Commissioner of Police, Madurai City. 3.Yagna Narayanan, Executive Officer, Arulmigu Subramania Swamy Temple, Thirupparankundram, Madurai. .... Respondents 1 to 3 / Contemnors 4.S.Ragupathy, S/o.Sevugan, Minister for Minerals and Mines, Government of Tamil Nadu, Fort St.George, Chennai – 600 009. ... 4th Respondent / 4th proposed Contemnor 1/7 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis For Petitioner : Mr.KPS.Palanivelrajan, Senior Counsel for Mr.P.Subbiah For Respondents : Mr.V.Giri, Senior Counsel assisted by Mr.C.Venkatesh Kumar Special Government Pleader for R1 :Mr.V.Giri, Senior Counsel assisted by Mr.S.Ravi, Additional Public Prosecutor for R2 :Mr.J.Ravindran, Additional Advocate General assisted by Mr.V.Chandrasekar for R3 Prayer : Sub Application filed under Section 151 of CPC, to implead the proposed contemnor as the 4th respondent / contemnor in Cont.P. (MD)No.3657 of 2025. ORDER This Sub Application has been filed to implead Thiru.S.Ragupathy, the Hon'ble Minister for Minerals and Mines, Government of Tamil Nadu on the basis of a statement attributed to him and which was published in Dinamalar Daily Newspaper issued on 07.01.2026. The news item reads as under:- ''cah;ePjpkd;w cj;juTg;gb J}zpy; jPgk; Vw;Wtij jLf;fNt 144 jil cj;juT Nghlg;gl;lJ. mg;gb nra;jpUf;fhtpl;lhy;> mq;F jPgk; Vw;wpapUg;gh;. mg;gb ele;jpUe;jhy;> jPgk; Vw;WtJ tof;fkhfptpLk;. xU ,lj;jpy; 2/7 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis ,Jjhd; elf;f Ntz;Lk; vd;why;> me;j ,lj;jpy; mJjhd; elf;f Ntz;Lk;. fpuhkj;jpy; RLfhL ,Uf;Fk; ,lj;jpy;jhd; gpzj;ij vhpg;gh;. NtW ve;j ,lj;jpYk; gpzj;ij vhpf;f khl;lhh;fs;. mJNghy;> jpUg;guq;Fd;wj;jpy; jPgk; Vw;Wk; ,lj;jpy;jhd; jPgk; Vw;wNtz;Lk;. Gjpa ,lj;jpy; jPgk; Vw;Wtij mDkjpf;f KbahJ.'' 2.Shri.J.Ravindran, Additional Advocate General submitted that cognizance of unauthenticated news paper reports ought not to be taken. This is a welcome suggestion. But whether the Hon'ble Minister made such a statement or not can be verified only if notice is issued to him seeking his response. I do not know if Shri.Ravindran wants me to invite Shri.S.Ragupathy to the premises of this Court. Dinamalar is a well known newspaper having a larger circulation. The news item reads that the Hon'ble Minister gave interview in the Secretariat. When I asked Mr.Ravindran as to whether he has instructions from the Hon'ble Minister, he replied in the negative. 3.I have two options before me. I have no doubt that the statement attributed to the Minister deserves severe condemnation. When the writ 3/7 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis court had permitted lighting the lamp atop the hill, it is only the Hon'ble Division Bench or the Hon'ble Supreme Court which alone can hold otherwise. It is not for any other authority let alone a State Minister to dare to say that such lighting cannot be permitted. When the matter has come to the domain of the court, the parties to the lis have to abide by the outcome of the judicial proceedings. After the verdict has been pronounced, the only option open to the parties is to explore the possibilities of appeal or review. One cannot pronounce opinions contrary to a judicial verdict in the public fora. One can comment or criticise the judgment. But one cannot assume the role of regulatory authority when the court has given its judgment. It is shocking that this elementary knowledge is lacking on the part of a person who held the high office of Law Minister. 4.It is too obvious that Thiru.S.Ragupathy had given such a statement. This is because no rebuttal has come from him so far. In fact, his related comment on cremation grounds evoked widespread derision. Therefore, he cannot plead ignorance in the matter. From his silence on this issue, one can safely conclude that Thiru.Ragupathy did make such 4/7 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis statement that the Government would not permit lighting the lamp atop the hill. Even though as early as on 06.01.2026, he claimed that the Government would file an appeal challenging the Division Bench order made on the same day, till date, no such appeal appears to have been filed. I wonder whether for public consumption Thiru.Ragupathy made a statement. 5.I desist from summoning Thiru.Ragupathy because his stand has been controverted by none other than the District Collector, Madurai who is the author of the prohibitory order. While Thiru.Ragupathy would claim that only to frustrate the court order, prohibitory order was passed, the District Collector makes it clear that he had no such intention. His additional affidavit filed today says otherwise. Let me extract the relevant paragraph : “15.I humbly submit that this Hon'ble High Court vide Judgment under contempt dated 01.02.2025 issued directions to the Temple Management / Devaswom. The one factor that I had kept in mind was that the temple management / Devaswom would be enabled to implement the said order only if there is no law and order situation in 5/7 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis the Hillock area. The prohibition issued under Section 163 of BNSS, 2023 by me definitely did not contemplate the hindrance to temple officials / devaswom lighting the lamp in accordance with the Judgment of the Hon'ble High Court dated 01.12.2025.” I conclude that Thiru.Ragupathy has given a mischievous political spin to the turn of events. Whether the issuance of prohibitory order by the District Collector is an act of contempt or not is the subject matter of proceedings before this Court. The rule of sub-judice will kick in. Let the Hon'ble Minister bear this principle in mind. 6.In view of the stand taken by the District Collector that he rejects the theory propounded by the Minister, I deem it fit to close this Sub Application. I make it clear that I will not hesitate to reopen this sub application if the occasion demands. 02.03.2026 rmi/skm To 1.K.J.Praveenkumar IAS, District Collector, Madurai. 2.J.Loganathan IPS, Commissioner of Police, Madurai City. 3.Yagna Narayanan, Executive Officer, Arulmigu Subramania Swamy Temple, Thirupparankundram, Madurai. 6/7 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis 4.S.Ragupathy, S/o.Sevugan, Minister for Minerals and Mines, Government of Tamil Nadu, Fort St.George, Chennai – 600 009. G.R.SWAMINATHAN, J. rmi/skm SUB APPLICATION (MD)No.94 of 2026 in Cont P(MD) No.3657 of 2025 02.03.2026 7/7 https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis