Madras High Court Takes Up Case Against Acquittal of Former Chief Minister O. Panneer Selvam
The Madras High Court has taken the responsibility of reviewing the acquittal of former Chief Minister O. Panneer Selvam and others in a case of disproportionate assets. The case is scheduled for hearing on Thursday, presided over by High Court judge Anand Venkatesh.
The case initiated when the Theni District Anti-Corruption Police filed a case against O. Panneerselvam, who served as the Chief Minister and Minister during the AIADMK regime from 2001 to 2006. The charges alleged that he purchased assets beyond his income under seven different names, including his wife Vijayalakshmi, sons Ravindranath and Jayapradeep, daughter Kavita Bhanu, and brother.
Initially, the charge sheet was filed in the Theni district court. Subsequently, a special court was established in the Madurai district to hear anti-corruption cases from the southern district, resulting in the transfer of these cases to Madurai District Special Court.
However, after a change in government, the Theni District Court decided to re-investigate the cases against O. Panneer Selvam and others. Meanwhile, the special court in Madurai, which had jurisdiction over anti-corruption cases, rejected the order of the Theni District Court and summoned the accused to appear in person.
In response, O. Panneerselvam and others filed a case in the Madurai branch of the High Court, requesting that the case be transferred to another district. The Supreme Court heard this plea and ultimately transferred the case to the Sivaganga District Court.
In 2012, the Sivaganga District Court received a report from the anti-corruption department stating that they would not pursue the case further due to insufficient evidence and announced their intention to withdraw the complaint. Based on this report, the Sivaganga court ordered the release of O. Panneerselvam and others from the cases.
While the anti-corruption department did not appeal against the Sivaganga court’s decision, Madras High Court judge Anand Venkatesh decided to take up the case against the acquittal of O. Panneer Selvam and others on his own. The first hearing of the case is scheduled to take place on Thursday.