Supreme Court: The Division Bench of Hrishikesh Roy and Prashant Kumar Mishra, JJ., on 6-9-2024, passed stayed the Madras High Court order that had set aside the discharge of Ministers KKSSR Ramachandran and Thangam Thennarasu in disproportionate assets case.
KKSSR Ramachandran and Thangam Thennarasu are the Minsters for Revenue and Disaster Management and Human Resource Management respectively.
Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) had registered a case against Ramachandran, his wife and a friend of the Minister under the PC Act, in December 2011. The DVAC claimed that they were in possession of assets disproportionate to their known sources of income during the period between April 2006, and March 2010.
The DVAC had also registered the case against Thennarasu and his wife in February 2012. A charge sheet was filed claiming that the couple possessed disproportionate assets to their known sources of income between May 2006, and March 2010.
On 7-8-2024, the single Judge Bench of N. Anand Venkatesh, J., set aside an order passed by the Virudhunagar Principal Sessions Court (Special Court for MP/MLA cases) on July 20-7-2023, discharging Ramachandran, his wife and friend, and restored the case back to the file of the Special Court for trial. Justice Venkatesh ordered the Special Court to frame charges and directed all the accused persons to appear before the Special Court on September 9. It was ordered that the trial should be conducted daily and completed expeditiously.
Passing identical but separate judgements on the suo motu revision petition taken up against Thennarasu and his wife, Justice Venkatesh set aside the Special Court’s order dt. 12-12-2022 discharging them from the disproportionate assets case. He directed both the accused to appear before the Special Court on September 11 for furnishing bonds.
Putting a stay on the afore-stated order, the Supreme Court issued notice to the State and other respondents on plea filed by the ministers.
Source: Press
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