Special court directs Gautham Sigamani MP to appear in PMLA case

CHENNAI: A special court in Chennai has directed the Kallakurichi MP Gautham Sigamani to appear before the court in a Prevention of Money Laundering (PMLA) case.

The case was heard by Special Judge T Malarvalantina and directed Gautham Sigamani and four others to appear before the court on November 24 in respect with the PMLA case filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

In 2012 the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) registered a complaint against Tamil Nadu Higher Education Department minister K Ponmudy for having aided his son, Gautham Sigamani, other family members, and aides to illegally quarry red sand in Villupuram, when he served as minister for Mines and Minerals between February 13, 2007, and May 15, 2007.

When Ponmudy was the minister of mines and minerals in 2007, allegedly he used his power and illegally quarried red sand in Villupuram. It was also alleged that due to this, he caused Rs. 28.36 crore loss for the exchequer of Tamil Nadu.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) also filed a case against Ponmudy and his son Gautham Sigamani on the basis of the DVAC complaint. Recently, the ED sleuths raided the places owned by Ponmudy in Chennai and Villupuram.

Subsequently, he was taken to the ED office in Chennai and questioned him. In connection with the case, the ED has filed a chargesheet with 90 pages against Gautham Sigamani in the principal sessions court in Chennai.

The principal judge, S Alli, transferred the trial of the case against Gautham Sigamani to a special court constituted for cases against MP/MLAs, in Chennai.