Justice

Why is Tamil Nadu’s Education Minister Ponmudi going to Jail?

9 months ago
304 Views
ponmudi

Madras High Court Justice G. Jayachandran has issued a verdict sentencing Tamil Nadu Higher Education Minister K. Ponmudi to a three-year prison term and imposing a fine of Rs.50 lakh on him for committing a corruption offence. Ponmudi was promptly disqualified upon his conviction under Section 8(1) of the People’s Representation Act, 1951.

Ponmudi’s spouse, P. Visalakshi, the second defendant in the case, was also given an identical punishment. The judge granted a 30-day suspension of the sentence to allow them to file an appeal in the Supreme Court. Both Ponmudi, aged 72 and his wife provided their medical records and requested a reduction in the severity of their penalty.

Second High-Profile Case in Dravidian Party

He is the second-highest-ranking leader of a political party and a sitting minister in Tamil Nadu to have been disqualified from the Legislative Assembly membership following the late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, whose public office and MLA status were revoked subsequently to her conviction and sentencing in a wealth case by a special court in Bengaluru.

Ponmudi, a prominent figure in the DMK, initially pursued an academic career as a faculty member at a university. Subsequently, he transitioned into politics and established a strong bond with the late party leader, M Karunanidhi and his son, the current Chief Minister, MK Stalin. He is the party’s face in the northern part of the State.

Also Read: TN Minister Ponmudy to Boycott MK University Convocation Stating Governor as RSS Mouthpiece

Background of the Corruption Case

The Department of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption accused Ponmudi and his wife of accumulating assets above 65.99% from April 13, 2006, to May 13, 2010. A case was lodged against them on September 26, 2011. The Minister and his wife were earlier acquitted of any wrongdoing by a Special Court for Prevention of Corruption proceedings in Villupuram, which happens to be the Minister’s hometown. The aggregate sum implicated in this case amounts to Rs.1.36 crore.

In 2017, the DVAC appealed with the High Court. After an almost six-year trial, the High Court convicted him on December 19, 2023, and announced that the sentence would be pronounced on December 21, 2023.

“The allegation against A-1 (Ponmudi) of an offence punishable under section 13 (2) r/w 13 (1) (e) of the PCA is proven. “The charges against A-2 (Visalakshi) under section 13 (2) r/w 13 (1) (e) of the PCA and 109 IPC are proven,” Justice Jayachandran stated in the order of conviction. It was discovered that the couple had accumulated assets totalling Rs. 1.72 crore, which was disproportionate (64.90%) to their known sources of income.

Pleading for Mercy from Imprisonment

Minister Ponmudi and his wife Visalakshi appeared before the court, where they produced their medical records and pleaded for a reduced sentence, citing their old age and deteriorating condition. The three-year sentence disqualifies him automatically from serving in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, an institution to which he was elected in the 2021 elections.

The court ruling has rendered him ineligible to run for office for a period of six years, effectively terminating his distinguished political career. Considering his current age of 72, the likelihood of a successful revival seems exceedingly low.

BJP Pounced on DMK’s Corruption 

The BJP applauded the conviction for apparent reasons. State president of the party, K. Annamalai, wrote on X: “…Thiru M.K. Stalin might as well construct a separate wing in Central prison dedicated to his ministers, given the current situation and the multiple corruption cases awaiting verdicts against DMK ministers.”

As Annamalai observed, several DMK ministers are the subject of legal proceedings. Ponmudi is the subject of several pending legal cases, including one concerning disproportionate assets from 1996 to 2001 and another pertaining to minerals and mines. The ministers Durai Murugan, KKSSR Ramachandran, Anitha Radhakrishnan, P. Geetha Jeevan, and EV Velu are among those confronted with legal matters.

Fear of IT and ED Raids on AIADMK

Additionally, the AIADMK finds itself in a precarious position, as numerous ministers from the 2016-2021 Cabinet are being prosecuted after the DMK assumed power. Politically, the corruption-related issues in both the DMK and the AIADMK provide a substantial lift to the BJP’s campaign that corruption in Tamil Nadu was a direct consequence of the Dravidian development model.

When queried about this, P.V. Kalyanasundaram, an anti-corruption crusader in the DMK, stated that such a verdict demoralises cadre and puts ministers and MLAs on guard. “They may wonder, ‘Who is the next?'” “Efficiency will be compromised if they participate in political parties or governments,” he further stated.

Although acknowledging that it was customary for AIADMK governments to initiate corruption proceedings against the DMK and vice versa, he stated that in the past, there was a perception that legal battles could be waged. Presently, this perception is shifting. AIADMK exhibits an identical issue at present.

What’s your Reaction?
+1
0
+1
0
+1
0
+1
0
+1
0
+1
0
+1
0
Tags:
Shares: