Suo motu revision against Ponmudy’s acquittal: Madras HC to begin final hearing on April 7

The Madras High Court decided to commence on April 7, 2025, the final hearing on a suo motu revision petition taken up by it in August 2023 against the acquittal of Minister K. Ponmudy in a disproportionate assets case registered in 2002.

The Madras High Court on Monday (February 3, 2025) decided to commence on April 7, 2025, the final hearing on a suo motu revision petition taken up by it in August 2023 against the acquittal of Higher Education Minister K. Ponmudy, his wife P. Visalatchi, and another individual in a disproportionate assets case registered against them in 2002.

Justice N. Anand Venkatesh fixed the date of the final hearing after ascertaining the convenience of Advocate General P.S. Raman, representing the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC), as well as the senior counsel to be engaged by the Minister and two others. He said, the hearing would take place between April 7 and 17.

This was the first of the six suo motu revision petitions that Justice Venkatesh had taken up in 2023 against the discharge/acquittal of Mr. Ponmudy and Ministers I. Periyasamy, K.K.S.S.R. Ramachandran, Thangam Thennarasu, former Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam, and former AIADMK Minister B. Valarmathi in different cases.

The judge had taken up the suo motu revision against Mr. Ponmudy after observing that the events leading to the acquittal order passed by the Vellore principal district and sessions court on June 28, 2023, revealed “a shocking and calculated attempt to manipulate and subvert the criminal justice system.”

The charge levelled by the DVAC against the Minister was that he had amassed wealth during his tenure as Transport Minister between 1996 and 2001. The prosecuting agency had booked not only the Minister and his wife but also his mother-in-law and two friends as the co-accused in the case.

In 2004, a Chief Judicial Magistrate in Villupuram discharged all the accused from the case, and the High Court too confirmed the discharge order in 2006. However, following an appeal by the State, the Supreme Court reversed the discharge orders and ordered the conduct of the trial.

The Minister’s mother-in-law and one of the two friends died before the framing of charges in 2015 and hence, the trial court proceeded only against the three surviving accused. The trial was conducted before the principal district court, which had been designated as a special court for Prevention of Corruption Act cases.