Acting Chief Justice of the Madras High Court Munishwar Nath Bhandari has clarified that the petition filed by K. Lakshmi, sister of former Minister K.T. Rajenthra Bhalaji, could be heard by Justice G.R. Swaminathan as per the roster.
Earlier, the State had contended that the matters related to sitting and former MLAs and MPs should be placed before the Special Bench in the Principal seat in Chennai. Hence, the matter was referred to the ACJ for clarification.
In the clarification note it was said that an MP or an MLA was not a party to the petition. For the mere reference of relation to the political person, who might be an ex-Minister, the matter would not fall in the jurisdiction of the Special Court.
The petitioner, Lakshmi, had sought a direction to Virudhunagar police not to harass the family members or relatives of the former Minister in the name of inquiry. In a special sitting, Justice G.R. Swaminathan had directed Virudhunagar police not to summon the family members or the relatives of the former Minister, who were not named in the FIR.
The police had picked up the family members for inquiry, and later let them off. Virudhunagar police are on the lookout for the former Minister. Two cases had been filed against the former Minister for allegedly cheating government job aspirants. His anticipatory bail petitions were dismissed by the Madras High Court.
