Chennai, Sept 22:
The Madras High Court has dismissed a petition filed by former Tamil Nadu Minister M.R.K. Panneerselvam and his family members seeking discharge from a disproportionate assets case.
The Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption had registered a case in 2011, alleging that Panneerselvam, who served as a Minister between 2006 and 2011, had accumulated assets worth around ₹3 crore disproportionate to his known sources of income.
A Cuddalore court had earlier acquitted Panneerselvam, his wife and son in the case. However, acting on a revision petition filed by the DVAC, the Madras High Court subsequently set aside the order discharging the three accused.
Panneerselvam later filed a fresh petition seeking discharge from the case. The Cuddalore court rejected his plea, following which he approached the Madras High Court.
Justice V. Lakshminarayanan dismissed the petition, declining to grant Panneerselvam relief from the case. The judge also directed that his plea seeking transfer of the trial from the Cuddalore court be placed before the Chief Justice’s Bench.