MHC fixes dates for final hearing of suo motu revisions against top politicians including incumbent ministers
The judge also scheduled the suo motu initiated against the former minister K Ponmudy and his wife Visalatchi, from February 19 to February 22.
Madras High Court (File Photo)
CHENNAI: The Madras High Court (MHC) has fixed separate dates for the final hearing of the suo motu criminal revisions initiated against the discharge of the incumbent ministers, former Chief Minister, and former ministers of the State from disproportionate asset (DA) case.
Justice N Anand Venkatesh decided to hear the final hearing of all the six suo motu cases from February 5 to February 23 on a daily basis. The judge has observed that the suo motu against ministers KKSSR Ramachandran, Thangam Thennarasu, former Chief Minister O Panneerselvam, and former minister B Valarmathi will be heard from February 5 to 9.
Likewise, the judge also scheduled the final hearing of suo motu initiated against the incumbent minister I Periyasamy on February 12 and 13. The judge also rejected the counsel's submission to implead the Registrar General of the MHC as the DA cases against the politicians were transferred from one lower court to another court raised suspicion to initiate these series of suo motu revisions. The judge directed all the counsels to rely upon the response filed by the Registrar General and submit their contentions.
The judge also scheduled the suo motu initiated against the former minister K Ponmudy and his wife Visalatchi, from February 19 to February 22.
The judge directed both the accused to file an affidavit if any request from their side or any role in the administrative side to transfer the DA case from Villupuram court to Vellore Court, which acquitted them. The judge also directed the State to file a counter in respect of the case files transferred from Villupuram court to Vellore court.
The judge scheduled to hear the perspective of the then Vellore Principal Judge (PJ) N Vasanthaleela who acquitted Pondmudy and his wife from the DA case, on February 23 and also observed that the former PJ may appear in person or can engage a counsel.
The judge observed that all the cases would be heard at 3 pm on the scheduled dates "This court expects all the counsels fullest cooperation to complete the hearing as per the schedule", observed the judge. The counsels are requested to coordinate with each other to avoid prolixity and overlapping of submissions, the judge added.
The narrative of the legal proceedings of the DA cases against the six politicians raised suspicion to Justice N Anand Venkatesh as the final closure reports submitted by the investigation officer completely differed from the final report, based on the closure report all the accused from these DA cases were acquitted.
Hence, the judge initiated a series of suo motu criminal revisions against the discharge of the politicians from the DA cases from August 10, 2023, under 397 of CrPC.
Later, the reshuffle of the portfolio of the judges, Justice N Anand Venkatesh was moved to the Principal seat of the Madurai bench. His predecessor Justice G Jayachandran heard the suo motu cases from October to December.
After the 3 months of break the portfolio to hear cases related to MPs/MLAs cases was now given back to Justice N Anand Venkatesh as he moved back to MHC, and the judge again kick-started to hear the suo motu criminal revisions against the six politicians.
