Thoothukudi, Nov 4:
A special court for trial of Prevention of Corruption Act cases in Thoothukudi on Tuesday acquitted former Tamil Nadu Fisheries Minister Anitha R. Radhakrishnan and his family members in a protracted 20-year-old disproportionate assets case. The verdict brings an end to two decades of protracted legal proceedings against the senior politician.
The case was originally registered by the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) in 2006, alleging that Radhakrishnan had amassed disproportionate wealth valued at several crores beyond his known sources of income during his tenure as the Housing and Urban Development Minister in the AIADMK government between 2001 and 2006. The prosecution had arrayed his family members, including his wife and brothers, as co-accused in the chargesheet.
Delivering the judgment after examining witness testimonies, financial audit reports, and cross-examinations spanning several years, the special judge observed that the prosecution failed to establish the allegations of illicit wealth accumulation beyond reasonable doubt. The court held that the property assessments and financial entries presented by the investigating agency contained inconsistencies and lacked corroborative documentary evidence.
Welcoming the verdict outside the court complex, defence counsel and party cadres celebrated the complete exoneration of the minister and his family. The acquittal also provides significant relief against parallel money laundering inquiries that were initiated by central agencies on the foundation of the predicate DVAC case.