Former Education Minister and veteran AIADMK leader C. Aranganayagam was on Monday convicted by a special court in a case relating to amassing of wealth disproportionate to his known sources of income and sentenced to undergo three years rigorous imprisonment. The case was registered over 20 years ago during the DMK regime.
In 1996, the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) had registered a case against Mr. Aranganayagam, his wife Kalaiselvi and sons Santhana Pandian and Murugan Adiyaman for allegedly amassing assets worth ₹1.15 crore disproportionate to their known sources of income. The movable and immovable assets were purchased when he was a Minister in the Jayalalithaa Cabinet of 1991-96.
Though the FIR was registered in 1996, the charge sheet was filed after a delay of 10 years. Mr. Aranganayagam was charged under Section 13(1)(e) read with 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, while the other three accused were charged under Section 109 (abetment) of the Indian Penal Code.
