Madras HC upholds conviction of ex-AIADMK minister Indira Kumari, husband in graft charges

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court (HC) upheld the special court order convicting the former minister R Indira Kumari (deceased now) and her husband Babu in connection with a graft case alleging the transfer of government funds into two private trusts.

Justice G Jayachandran abated the former minister from the case as she died this year and confirmed the conviction of other accused persons including Indira Kumari's husband.

The CB-CID filed a charge sheet on February 4, 2004, against Indira Kumari and four others including former Social Welfare Secretary R Kirubakaran, Shanmugam, Babu, and Venkatakrishnan.

The investigation agency claimed that Indira Kumari while holding the post of Social Welfare Minister in J Jayalalithaa's cabinet between 1992-1996, committed a criminal breach of trust by transferring Rs15.45 lakhs from the department fund to two private trusts run by her husband Babu in Vellore and Chennai. The trusts were run under the pretext of schools for children with disabilities.

The agency claimed that Indira Kumari as a public servant committed criminal misconduct of obtaining a pecuniary advantage by illegal means and abused her official position.

The case was transferred to the additional special court for the trial of cases related to MPs and MLAs which convicted Indira Kumari and her husband with 5 years of rigorous imprisonment in 2019.