CHENNAI: In a yet another extraordinary stroke, the Madras high court has decided to conduct a suo motu revision of the discharge of two more DMK ministers – Thangam Thennarasu and KKSSR Ramachandran – from disproportionate assets cases against them.
On August 10, in a first, Justice N Anand Venkatesh had invoked CrPC Section 397 and initiated suo motu revision proceedings against the acquittal of DMK minister K Ponmudy. Justice Venkatesh issued similar instructions on Tuesday, and the cases against two more ministers have been listed as first and second cases before the judge on Wednesday.
While Thangam Thennarasu was discharged from the case on December 13, 2022, Ramachandran was discharged from a similar case on December 20, 2022.
On August 10, Justice Venkatesh got the case against Ponmudy listed before him saying he noticed “a shocking and calculated attempt to manipulate and subvert the criminal justice system”.
CrPC Section 397 empowers the HC/judge to call for and examine the record of any proceeding before any subordinate criminal court within its/his jurisdiction for satisfying itself/himself as to the correctness, legality or propriety of any finding, sentence or order passed by that subordinate court.
All the three ministers belong to DMK. They were ministers from 2006 to 2011 and now are ministers in the M K Stalin cabinet.