Madras High Court Issues Notice On TN Minister Panneerselvam's Plea Challenging Proceedings In Disproportionate Asset Case

The Madras High Court has issued notice to the Deputy Superintendent of Police, Vigilance and Anti-Corruption, Cuddalore, in the pleas filed by Tamil Nadu Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Minister, MRK Panneerselvam, challenging the proceedings initiated against him in connection with disproportionate asset cases. Justice N Satish Kumar has ordered notice in the plea and dispensed with the appearance of the Minister before the Special Court. The case against the Minister is that he had allegedly accumulated disproportionate wealth while serving as the Minister for Backward Classes and Welfare from 1996 to 2001 and later as the Minister for Health and Family Welfare from 2006 to 2011. It may be noted that in April this year, the Madras High Court had set aside the discharge of the Minister and his family members and had directed the special court to proceed with framing of charges in the case. The special court was also directed to complete the trial in 6 months. While setting aside the discharge of the Minister, the High Court had noted that there were prima facie materials to proceed against him and noted that the findings of the trial court, while discharging the Minister and his family, were perverse and had to be interfered with. Though the Minister and his family claimed that the prosecution had failed to consider the background of the accused and that the source of income was laid with an ulterior motive, the court said that those were defences that could be taken at the time of the trial. The court added that at the time of framing the charge, the trial court need not go into each of the defences. The Minister and his family also argued that the failure on the part of the prosecution would compel the accused to be a witness against themselves, which was against the fundamental rights guaranteed under Article 20(3) of the Constitution. It was argued that the accused would be compelled to prove that the Hindu Undivided Properties and the assets of the individuals were included by the prosecution in their case. The court, however, rejected this contention and said that in the present case, there was no compulsion for the accused to be a witness against themselves. The court noted that if the accused had independent sources of income, it should have been disclosed when the notice was served. Following this, the special court proceeded with the trial. Now the Minister has filed the present plea, under Section 482 of CrPC/528 BNSS, challenging the entire criminal proceedings as an abuse of process of law.Senior Advocate S Muralidhar appeared for the Minister, assisted by Mr. Namit Saxena, Advocate for C Prakasam, Advocates Case Title: MRK Panneerselvam and Others v. The State of Tamil Nadu Case No: Crl OP 24021 of 2025 and Crl OP 24028 of 2025

Madras High Court Issues Notice On TN Minister Panneerselvam's Plea Challenging Proceedings In Disproportionate Asset Case

Upasana Sajeev

Tags