TN ministers Ramachandran and Thenarasu to face trial in wealth case: HC

Chennai, Aug 7 (PTI) Setting aside trial court orders discharging Tamil Nadu Revenue Minister KKSSR Ramachandran and Finance Minister Thangam Thenarasu from disproportionate assets cases, the Madras High Court on Wednesday directed the lower court to frame charges against them and proceed in accordance with law.

Justice N Anand Venkatesh allowed the writ petition initiated by him against the orders of a Special Court in Viridhunagar district, discharging Ramachandran and Thangam Thenarasu from the disproportionate wealth cases.

Ministers Ramachandran and Thangam Thenarasu have to face trial in the cases registered against them by the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption.

Restoring the cases on the file of the Special Court, the judge said as prima facie materials were available, it shall frame charges against the accused and proceed in accordance with law.

The judge directed Ramachandran to appear before the Special Court on September 9. Similarly, he directed Thangam Thenarasu to appear before the Special Court on September 11.

The judge directed the Special Court to conduct the trial in these cases on a day-to-day basis and complete the same as expeditiously as possible.

Invoking his powers under section 397 Cr.P.C, Justice Anand Venkatesh had last year initiated on his own, the criminal revision cases against the two senior DMK leaders.

According to prosecution, Ramachandran had amassed wealth in his name and that of his wife P Visalatchi besides his friend K S P Shanmugamoorthy, disproportionate to his known sources of income when he was the Minister for Health and Backward Classes between 2006 and 2011 during the previous DMK regime.

The prosecution case against Thangam Thenarasu was that he had accumulated assets in his name and that of his wife T Manimegalai, disproportionate to his known sources of income when he was the Minister for School Education between 2006 and 2011. PTI