Madras HC adjourns Ponmudy case hearing to Sept 9

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Monday posted the hearing of suo motu criminal revision initiated against the discharge of Minister K Ponmudy from the disproportionate assets (DA) case to next month.

On Monday, Justice N Anand Venkatesh took up the suo motu criminal revision for hearing. However, the counsel for the respondents sought time to advance their submission. After the request, the matter was posted to September 9 for respondents’ submission.

On August 10, last year, Justice Anand Venkatesh initiated suo motu criminal revision against the discharge of Minister K Ponmudy and his wife from the DA case, by raising various suspicions on the narrative as it revealed “shocking and calculated attempt to manipulate and subvert the criminal justice system.”

In 2002, the DVAC registered a case against Ponmudy, his wife, his mother-in-law and two others under the Prevention of Corruption Act 1988, for acquiring properties that were disproportionate to his known sources of income from 1996 to 2001 when he was a minister in the DMK regime.

Relating to this case, on April 26, 2022, the principal district judge, Villupuram wrote a letter to the MHC requesting permission to conduct a special sitting to complete the case.

However, the MHC has rejected his permission and directed the principal judge that the case should not be taken up until further orders.

Later, on July 7, 2022, directed the principal district judge, Villupuram, to transfer the case to the file of the principal district judge, Vellore.

Subsequently, the Vellore court acquitted all the accused from the case, including Ponmudy, on June 28, 2023.