Disproportionate assets case: HC convicts Tamil Nadu minister Ponmudy, wife
The Supreme Court set aside K Ponmudy’s exoneration in 2014, saying the evidence against him was improperly appraised
The Madras high court on Tuesday convicted Tamil Nadu minister K Ponmudy and his wife, P Visalatchi, in a disproportionate assets case dating back to the 1996-2001 period, setting aside their acquittal.
Justice G Jayachandran found the couple guilty and directed them to appear before the court on Thursday for the pronouncement of the sentence.
Ponmudy was accused of acquiring properties disproportionate to his known sources of income when he was the state’s transport minister in the earlier Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) government from 1996 to 2001. The Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) booked him after DMK’s archrival All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam came to power in 2002.
The Supreme Court set aside Ponmudy’s exoneration in 2014, saying the evidence against him was improperly appraised. The charges were later framed against Ponmudi in 2015. The trial was moved from Villupuram to Vellore, where Ponmudi and his wife were acquitted.
Justice Anand Venkatesh of the Madras high court reopened Ponmudi’s case on August 10 after taking up suo moto revisions of acquittals of six politicians including ministers. Justice Jayachandran heard the case following a roster change.
The Supreme Court rejected the couple’s pleas against Justice Venkatesh taking up the case. “Thank God we have judges like Justice Anand Venkatesh in our system,” said a Chief Justice of India Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud-led bench in November.