The State government has moved the Madras High Court challenging an order of a lower court, discharging former DMK Minister M.R.K. Panneerselvam from the Rs. 3-crore disproportionate wealth case.
According to the petitioner, Inspector of Police, Vigilance and Anti Corruption, Cuddalore, a case was registered against Mr. Panneerselvam who was the Minister for Health during the DMK regime between April 2006 and March 2011 for allegedly amassing properties in the names of his wife and son.
Alleging that Mr. Panneerselvam, as a public servant, committed the offence of criminal misconduct by acquiring and possessing properties disproportionate to his known sources of income in his name and in the names of his wife and son, the investigating agency filed a charge sheet under Section 13 (2) read with 13 (1) (e) of the Prevention of Corruption Act against the trio.
The prosecution filed about 60 witness and 111 documentary evidences to prove their case. While the trial was pending, the trio moved pleas to discharge them from the case.
On February 3, 2016 the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Cuddalore allowed their petitions and discharged them from the case.
Assailing the order, the petitioner moved a revision petition before the High Court contending that mere suspicion was enough to frame a charge but in the present case a number of material evidences were produced before the court to frame charges against the accused.
But the special judge conducted a mini trial at the stage of dealing with discharge applications, and discharged the accused without considering the parameters laid down by the Supreme Court.
Justice P. Devadass ordered notice to Mr. Panneerselvam, his wife Senthamizhselvi and his son P. Kathiravan returnable by three weeks.
