Madras High Court reopens cases against two Tamil Nadu ministers

The Madras High Court on Wednesday took up on its own, a revision case against two DMK ministers who were acquitted by a local court in Virudhunagar district in disproportionate assets cases filed against them.

Justice N Anand Venkatesh, who holds the portfolio for MP/MLA cases in the State, took up the cases against senior Ministers Thangam Thennarasu and his wife and KKSSR Ramachandran and his spouse and also a friend of the DMK leader. The court ordered issuing notice to all concerned, besides the State.

"It was a deja vu moment for this Court as both orders revealed a well orchestrated pattern: the Special Court had taken cognisance of the final reports in 2013/14. Discharge applications were filed, and the cases were adjourned for months and years on end till 2021. In 2021, the political fortunes in the State smiled at the main accused who regained their positions as Ministers in the State Cabinet. A few months thereafter the State prosecution very magnanimously came forward and offered to conduct "further investigation", the judge said.