HC issues notice to Health Minister in wealth case

Chennai, Nov 20 (UNI) The Madras High Court today issued notice to Tamil Nadu Health Minister M R K Pannerselvam and his wife on a petition challenging the discharge order passed by a trial court in the wealth case.

Admitting the petition filed by P Ravindran of Cuddalore, Justice K Mohan Ram, directed the Deputy Superintendent of Police, Vigilance and Anti-Corruption(DVAC) wing, Cuddalore District, the Minister and his wife P Senthamizh Selvi, to file their reply with two weeks.

The petitioner submitted that Mr Panneerselvam was a Minister for Backward Classes between May 13, 1996 and May 14, 2001.

As a public servant, he has committed the offence of Criminal Misconduct by acquiring and being in possession of pecuniary resources and properties in his name and his wifes' a name disproportionate to his known sources of income to the extent of Rs 21,22,881.58 for which he could not satisfactorily account for and therefore the DVAC filed a case against them and they were charge sheeted.

The petitioner further said that Mr Panneerselvam purposely dragged the wealth case till the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections in 2006 were over. When the DMK party won the polls and Mr Panneerselvam again became a minister, he suddenly proceeded with the case and filed a petition for discharge under section 227 of CrPC for discharging him and his wife and Chief Judicial Magistrate-cum-Special Judge also dischasrged them on July 2, 2007, he added.

The order passed by the trial court was contrary to law, weight of evidence and in all probabilities of the case the order is liable to be set aside, the petitioner contended.

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