The Madras High Court has decided to hear on merits a criminal revision petition filed by Tamil Nadu Finance Minister Marie Wilson seeking to quash a criminal case pending against him before the Judicial Magistrate, Puducherry, after mediation proceedings directed by the court failed to yield a settlement.
Justice V Lakshminarayanan took up the matter after counsel for both parties informed the court that mediation talks had not resulted in an amicable resolution. The court had earlier, in July 2026, directed the Mediation and Conciliation Centre attached to the High Court to undertake mediation between the parties, given their familial relationship and the possibility of settlement. The court had set August 17, 2026, as the deadline for concluding the mediation and submitting a report.
When the matter came up for hearing after the deadline, the counsel for the de facto complainant—the Minister’s sister-in-law—informed the court that she did not wish to proceed with mediation. The Minister’s counsel contended that the complainant was changing her stance despite having participated in four rounds of mediation talks, which had not led to any positive outcome.
The de facto complainant clarified that she had agreed to mediation only because the court had suggested it and that she did not voluntarily wish to mediate the dispute. In response, the court questioned how it could compel a party to mediate when they were unwilling to do so. It observed that even if a party had consented to mediation at an earlier stage, they retained the right to withdraw their consent at any point during the proceedings.
Taking note of the complainant’s clear unwillingness to mediate, the court concluded that further attempts at mediation would be futile and decided to proceed with hearing the case on its merits. The matter has been adjourned to August 28, 2026, for further arguments.
Meanwhile, the court has dispensed with the personal appearance of the Minister before the Judicial Magistrate Court in Puducherry, where the criminal case is pending.
The criminal case was registered by the Puducherry Lawpet Police Station and involves allegations under Sections 448 (house trespass), 427 (mischief causing damage), 324 (voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons), 506(i) (criminal intimidation), and 294(b) (obscene acts and songs), read with Section 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code. It is alleged that the Minister and his father trespassed into the residence of his sister-in-law, abused and assaulted her and her husband—the Minister’s brother—with a wooden log, causing injuries, and criminally intimidated them. The alleged incident stems from a dispute concerning the adoption and upbringing of a minor child.
The petitioner is represented by counsel Mr. Haja Mohideen Gisthi, while the respondent is represented by Mr. Ramasamy Meiyappan, Government Advocate. The case is titled Marie Wilson v The Station House Officer and Another, bearing Crl OP No. 18057 of 2026.
The court’s decision to proceed on merits follows the failure of a court-initiated mediation process, underscoring the principle that mediation cannot be imposed on unwilling parties, even in cases involving close relatives where settlement is deemed possible.