Legal troubles continue to haunt DMK, senior ministers

The Madras High Court, on Friday, reversed the 2007 and 2016 discharge orders against Agriculture Minister M.R.K. Panneerselvam and his wife P. Senthamizhselvi in two different Disproportionate Assets (DA) cases pertaining to the check periods 1996-2001 and 2006-2011.

Justice P. Velmurugan, who reversed the discharge orders in the DA case related to DMK general secretary Duraimurugan during the past two days, allowed the criminal revision petitions filed by the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) in 2013 and 2016. Justice Velmurugan directed a special court for Prevention of Corruption Act cases in Cuddalore to conduct a full-fledged trial in both cases, by framing charges against Panneerselvam, and complete the trial within six months by conducting day-to-day proceedings. He pointed out that the cases have been pending for decades and have not progressed due to the discharge orders.

Panneerselvam is the fifth DMK minister in a row to get an adverse order from the judiciary, in a DA case. Earlier, Duraimurugan was asked to stand trial once again in the DA case. K Ponmudy too is facing a DA case.

Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu and Revenue Minister K.K.S.S.R. Ramachandran have already been asked to stand trial once again in DA cases by the Madras High Court in the past two years.

Meanwhile, the judiciary is on a spree pronouncing orders in the cases against DMK ministers. In the past four days, there have been adverse orders against DMK seniors including Duraimurugan, and Ponmudy who is facing a suo motu case for his derogatory remarks against Shaivites, Vaishnavites and women. Taking suo motu cognizance of the matter, Justice Anand N. Venkatesh of the Madras High Court asked the Tamil Nadu government to file a reply about Ponmudy's disparaging remarks.

Besides, Electricity, Prohibition and Excise Minister V. Senthil Balaji has been asked to choose between ministership and bail, in the cash for jobs scam case.

India