Madras High Court Sets Aside Acquittal Of TN Minister Ponmudi & His Wife In Disproportionate Assets Case

Justice G Jayachandran allowed an appeal preferred by the DVAC against a 2016 order of the Villupuram Special Court for Prevention of Corruption Act cases. The trial court had acquitted the minister and his wife holding that the prosecution had failed to prove that the pair had amassed a wealth of Rs. 1.36 crore disproportionate to their known sources of income.

Holding that the trial court had erred in acquitting the Minister and finding the Minister guilty of offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act, the court directed the Minister and his wife to appear before the court on December 21. Though a request was made to grant an oral leave to prefer an appeal, the court said the same could be decided on December 21.

The prosecution case was that Ponmudi had amassed wealth disproportionate to his sources of income during his tenure as the Minister for Mines and Minerals in the DMK Government. It was alleged that being a public servant, he had committed an offence punishable under Section 13(2) read with 13(1)(e) of the Prevention of Corruption Act 1988. The agency also claimed that his wife had abetted by aiding Ponmudi in acquiring and possessing pecuniary resources and properties on his behalf disproportionate to the known sources of income.

Previously, the high court had exercised its suo moto revision against another order of June 2023 acquitting the Minister and his wife.

Citation: 2023 LiveLaw (Mad) 398

Case Title: State v K Ponmudi and Others

Case No: Crl A 53 of 2017