Madras High Court Rejects Minister I Periyasamy's Plea Against ED Probe, Tells Him To Approach PMLA Adjudicating Authority First

The Madras High Court has dismissed a plea filed by Tamil Nadu Minister for Rural Development I Periyasamy and his family members challenging an ECIR registered against them by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with a money laundering case. The bench of Chief Justice Manindra Mohan Shrivastava and Justice G Arul Murugan noted that the parties had filed the plea without approaching the adjudicating authority first. The bench thus directed them to approach the adjudicating authority as per law. The court added that if the parties were aggrieved by the orders of the adjudicating authority, they can file necessary pleas at such point of time. The parties had challenged the ECIR, the application under Section 17(4) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act 2002, and the subsequent show cause notice issued under the Act. The allegation against Periyasamy was that, while serving as the Minister for Revenue and Prisons between 2006 and 2011, he had accumulated wealth disproportionate to his known sources of income. As per the Department of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption, the Minister was in possession of disproportionate assets to the tune of Rs. 2.01 crore and thus registered the case in 2012 under the Prevention of Corruption Act. He was discharged from the case by an order of the Special Judge, Dindigul. The High Court had, in April 2025, set aside this discharge order and directed the special court to frame charges against Periyasamy and complete the trial within 6 months. This order of the High Court has been stayed by the Supreme Court. Meanwhile, in July 2025, the ED took cognisance of the offence and registered an ECIR against Periyasamy and his family members. The ED also conducted searches at his home and official premises. Subsequently, Periyasamy and his family approached the court against the ED action. On Monday, the court, however, directed the parties to first approach the adjudicating authority as per law and dismissed the plea. Counsel for Petitioner: M/s. K. Muthuganesa Pandian Counsel for Respondent: Mr. P. Siddharth Spl. Public Prosecutor (ED cases) Case Title: I Periyasamy v. Directorate of EnforcementCitation: 2026 LiveLaw (Mad) 7 Case No: W.P.Crl.No.1700 of 2025

Madras High Court Rejects Minister I Periyasamy's Plea Against ED Probe, Tells Him To Approach PMLA Adjudicating Authority First

Upasana Sajeev

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