MHC set asides conviction against former minister TM Selvaganapathy in cremation shed scam

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Tuesday set aside the two years conviction imposed on former minister TM Selvaganapathy in the cremation shed scam case.

Justice G Jayachandran pronounced the final orders in the appeal filed by former minister and others challenging the CBI court's verdict.

In 1997 the anti Corruption wing of CBI registered the case against Selvaganapathy and others alleging guilty of offences of causing a pecuniary loss to the government to the tune of Rs 23 lakh.

According to CBI, during 1995-96 when Selvaganapathy held the ministry of Local Administration and Rural Development in former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa's cabinet, caused the offfence.

Instead of awarding the contract to cooperative societies for constructing 100 cremation sheds for Adi Dravidars in Nagapattinam under Jawahar Rojgar Yojana Scheme, it was entrusted to a private company and funds were also sanctioned.

However, the decision of constructing 100 cremation sheds was also not properly accomplished and looted public money to the rune of Rs. 23 lakh, alleged the CBI.

The special court for CBI cases, Chennai in 2014 found the accused including Selvaganapathy guilty and imposed conviction, when he was DMK member of Rajya Sabha

The court also sentenced J.T. Acharyulu, former Secretary, Rural Development, M. Sathyamurthy, former Director, Rural Development, M. Krishnamurthy, retired project officer, and T. Bharathi to two-year rigorous imprisonment and imposed a penalty of Rs. 25,000 on each of them.

Aggrieved by the judgement the accused including Selvaganapathy moved Madras High Court(MHC) challening the convictions.

The MHC allowed the appeal petitions and set aside the convictions.