Minister Ponmudy and his sons appear at sessions court in red sand quarrying case

CHENNAI: State Forest Minister K Ponmudy and his sons Gautham Sigamani - Kallakurichi MP - and Ashok Sigamani - president of Tamil Nadu Cricket Association - appeared physically before a special court in an alleged illegal red sand quarrying case on Wednesday.

Arrayed as accused in the red sand case, the minister and his sons appeared before S Ezhil Velavan, an additional special judge for CBI cases.

The minister filed a petition under section 205 of CrPC seeking dispense with his further appearance as he holds public office as a minister of the State and also the deputy general secretary of DMK.

Recording the submission, the judge directed the Directorate of Enforcement to file a counter to the dispense with the petition. Special public prosecutor N Ramesh took notice on behalf of ED.

In 2012, the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) registered an FIR against former minister K Ponmudy for having aided Gautham, other family members, and aides to illegally quarry red sand in Villupuram when he served as minister for Mines and Minerals between February 13 and May 15 of 2007. It was alleged that due to this, he incurred Rs 28.36 crore loss for the exchequer of Tamil Nadu.

The ED filed a PMLA case in 2023 against Ponmudy, Gautham, and four others based on the DVAC FIR. Subsequently, ED sleuths raided the places owned by Ponmudy in Chennai and Villupuram. Further, he was questioned at the ED office in Chennai. After the investigation, the ED filed a 90-page chargesheet.