A city court here on Monday rejected the plea of AIADMK(Amma) deputy general secretary and party’s RK.Nagar candidate T.T.V.Dhinakaran to postpone the trial in a case filed by Enforcement Directorate (ED) for violation of Foreign Exchange Regulation Act (FERA).
Mr. Dhinakaran had been facing the case for violating the FERA provisions in obtaining $1,04,93,313 in foreign exchange and depositing it in the current account of Dipper Investments Ltd., a company incorporated in the British Virgin Islands, with Barclays Bank, Sutton, United Kingdom. Having failed to pay the fine of ₹28 crore, the ED had initiated criminal proceedings against him in the Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate-Economic Offences-II court here.
Last Friday, his advocates filed a petition seeking to postpone the trial citing that Mr. Dhinakaran was pre-occupied with the R.K. Nagar byelection. However, ACMM S.Malarmathy declined to do so and asked his advocates to advance their argument on the plea.
When the matter came before Ms. Malarmathy on Monday for pronouncing orders , the accused Mr. Dhinakaran was absent. She allowed the petition seeking to dispense with his personal appearance filed under Section 317 Criminal Procedure Code-( Provision for inquiries and trial being held in the absence of accused in certain cases). However, dismissing the plea of Mr. Dhinakaran to postpone the case, she said, “ Petition filed under 309. (Power to postpone or adjourn proceedings) is dismissed.” At the request of his advocates, the case was posted for further hearing on Tuesday.
