1MDB seeks leave of Federal Court to reinstate White & Case suit

In a defamation case filed in the Madras High Court on September 21, 2026, Tamil Nadu Minister for Natural Resources TK. Prabhu has taken legal action against YouTuber M. Maridhas for allegedly making defamatory statements against him on YouTube, X, and other social media platforms. Justice K. Govindarajan Thilakavadi granted leave to the Minister to proceed with the lawsuit. The High Court Registry assigned a case number to the defamation suit against the YouTuber, Google LLC, YouTube India, and X Corporation.

The Minister, P.H. Arvindh Pandian as his senior counsel, argued that a portion of the cause of action for the civil suit had arisen within the jurisdiction of the High Court. He submitted three previous orders where the court had permitted similar cases to file defamation suits for false, malicious, and defamatory statements made on social media.

In his pleading, Prabhu claimed he was elected from the Karaikudi Assembly constituency and later appointed as the Minister in charge of mines and minerals. He accused Maridhas of making false, baseless, and defamatory claims of corruption and illegalities against him on his YouTube channel and X handle, which he claimed were entirely untrue.

Prabhu provided links to the objectionable videos shared on these platforms and requested the High Court to direct Maridhas to pay him ₹1 crore in damages with interest at 12% per annum from the filing of the suit until the realization of the amount. The Minister described himself as a dentist by qualification, born and raised in Karaikudi, and known for his integrity, ethical conduct, probity, uprightness, straightforwardness, and responsible public service.

He sought damages for loss of reputation, emotional distress, mental agony, professional harm, and violation of his dignity and privacy.