Madras HC adjourns suo-motu case against TN Minister K Ponmudy

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has adjourned the suo-motu case against the discharge of Minister K Ponmudy and his wife P Visalatchi from a disproportionate asset case to October 19.

Senior Counsel NR Elango appeared before Justice G Jayachandran, for Ponmudy and his wife submitted that the minister moved to the Supreme Court and filed a Special Leave Petition (SLP) against the suo-motu revision petition.

The counsel also contended that the case will be likely to be listed in the Supreme Court next week and sought to adjourn the hearing.

Elango also argued that the order of Justice N Anand Venkatesh refusing to recuse from the suo-motu case has lost relevance as the portfolio for hearing MP/MLA cases is now designated to Justice G Jayachandran.

After the submission, the judge adjourned the hearing to October 19.

On August 10, Justice N Anand Venkatesh, who held the portfolio for hearing cases against MP/MLAs, initiated suo-motu against the discharge of Minister K Ponmudy, his wife, and other accused from the 2002 disproportionate asset case.

Raising serious questions about the manner in which the Minister was acquitted, the judge observed that the narrative revealed a "shocking and calculated attempt to manipulate and subvert the criminal justice system".

However, Ponmudy moved the Supreme Court against the suo-motu initiation after the judge refused to recuse from hearing the case.

As the changes made in the portfolios of judges, the MP/MLA-related cases are now designated to Justice G Jayachandran