A special court judge for MPs and MLAs acquitted seven people, including Higher Education Minister Ponmudy and his relatives, in 2003 case filed against them for attempting to grab government-owned land near Saidapet in Chennai.
Chennai:In a land grabbing case, seven people were acquitted, including Higher Education Minister Ponmudy. Ponmudy has been the Minister of Higher Education in Tamil Nadu.
He was the Transport Minister from 1996 to 2001. He was accused of misusing his power with the intention of grabbing 3,630 square feet of government-owned land in Srinagar North Colony area of Saidapet in Chennai.
It was said that the place was registered in the name of Ponmudy's mother-in-law Saraswathi by preparing fake documents after evicting Kannan alias Kannappan, who was illegally residing in the place. In 2003, there were reports that a building was being constructed at the site for Rs 35 lakh.
The Chennai Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) investigated this matter. On August 27, 2003, a case was registerd against ten people, including Ponmudy, his mother-in-law Saraswathi, the then Adyar Sub-Registrar Purubabu, Kittu alias Saidai Kittu, and ten others. The investigation was then conducted in various phases.
Following that, on 2.9.2004, the Anti-Corruption Bureau filed a charge sheet against Ponmudy and ten others in a special court in Chennai.
Ponmudy filed a petition in the same court seeking discharge from the case. On 26.4.2007, the Special Court acquitted Ponmudy in the case.
The Anti-Corruption Bureau appealed against this in the High Court. At the end of the hearing, the High Court on 6.9.2017 set aside the order passed by the special court acquitting Ponmudy from the case.
Following this, the trial of the case against 10 persons, including Ponmudy, took place in the special court hearing criminal cases against MPs and MLAs in the premises of the District Collectorate in Chennai.
Ponmudy's mother-in-law Saraswathi, sub-registrar Purubabu, and Kittu alias Saidai Kittu all died while the case was pending. Following this, the trial of Ponmudy and seven others was going on.
The prosecution summoned more than 90 witnesses, including retired IAS official Rajaratnam, in the case. The Anti-Corruption Bureau filed more than 180 documentary documents.
Justice Jayavel had stated that the verdict would be given on Thursday, following the completion of all prosecutions in the case.
As a result, Judge Jayavel delivered the verdict in the case on Thursday at 10.30 a.m. The judge acquitted Minister Ponmudy in the case filed against him for illegally grabbing government land using fake documents.
Justice Jayavel, in his judgment, said, "There are not enough documents and evidence against the accused in the case filed for land grabbing. So the charge against them has not been proved.
As a result, I am releasing all seven, including Ponmudy.
This is what the judge stated in the ruling.
He was the Transport Minister from 1996 to 2001. He was accused of misusing his power with the intention of grabbing 3,630 square feet of government-owned land in Srinagar North Colony area of Saidapet in Chennai.
It was said that the place was registered in the name of Ponmudy's mother-in-law Saraswathi by preparing fake documents after evicting Kannan alias Kannappan, who was illegally residing in the place. In 2003, there were reports that a building was being constructed at the site for Rs 35 lakh.
The Chennai Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) investigated this matter. On August 27, 2003, a case was registerd against ten people, including Ponmudy, his mother-in-law Saraswathi, the then Adyar Sub-Registrar Purubabu, Kittu alias Saidai Kittu, and ten others. The investigation was then conducted in various phases.
Following that, on 2.9.2004, the Anti-Corruption Bureau filed a charge sheet against Ponmudy and ten others in a special court in Chennai.
Ponmudy filed a petition in the same court seeking discharge from the case. On 26.4.2007, the Special Court acquitted Ponmudy in the case.
The Anti-Corruption Bureau appealed against this in the High Court. At the end of the hearing, the High Court on 6.9.2017 set aside the order passed by the special court acquitting Ponmudy from the case.
Following this, the trial of the case against 10 persons, including Ponmudy, took place in the special court hearing criminal cases against MPs and MLAs in the premises of the District Collectorate in Chennai.
Ponmudy's mother-in-law Saraswathi, sub-registrar Purubabu, and Kittu alias Saidai Kittu all died while the case was pending. Following this, the trial of Ponmudy and seven others was going on.
The prosecution summoned more than 90 witnesses, including retired IAS official Rajaratnam, in the case. The Anti-Corruption Bureau filed more than 180 documentary documents.
Justice Jayavel had stated that the verdict would be given on Thursday, following the completion of all prosecutions in the case.
As a result, Judge Jayavel delivered the verdict in the case on Thursday at 10.30 a.m. The judge acquitted Minister Ponmudy in the case filed against him for illegally grabbing government land using fake documents.
Justice Jayavel, in his judgment, said, "There are not enough documents and evidence against the accused in the case filed for land grabbing. So the charge against them has not been proved.
As a result, I am releasing all seven, including Ponmudy.
This is what the judge stated in the ruling.