The Madras High Court has quashed a 2016 criminal case filed against KR Periakaruppan, the Minister for Co-operation, in connection with an alleged attack on AIADMK workers during the 2016 Tamil Nadu Assembly election campaign.
The case stemmed from an incident where some DMK workers and Periakaruppan’s supporters were accused of assaulting AIADMK workers. Following the alleged attack, a case was registered against several individuals, including Periakaruppan, at the Thirukoshtiyur police station in Sivagangai district, accusing them of inciting the assault.
In his defense, Periakaruppan’s counsel argued that the minister was not directly involved in the alleged offense and was merely the eighth accused in the case. The counsel further emphasized that Periakaruppan was not physically present at the scene of the incident. After considering the arguments, Justice P. Velmurugan of the Madras High Court accepted the minister’s contention and ruled in his favor, quashing the criminal case.
The judgment comes as a significant relief for Periakaruppan, who faced legal trouble over the allegations made during the election period. The case was one of many that emerged following the intense political rivalry between DMK and AIADMK during the 2016 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.