Tamil Nadu minister K Ponmudy gets 3-year of imprisonment in disproportionate assets case

The Madras High Court on Thursday sentenced a 3-year of simple imprisonment to Tamil Nadu's Higher Education Minister K Ponmudy in a disproportionate assets case worth ₹1.75 crore. His wife was also convicted and both were slapped with ₹50 lakh fines each.

Tamil Nadu Minister K Ponmudy gets 3-years of imprisonment 

Madras High Court sentences Tamil Nadu Higher Education Minister K Ponmudy to 3 years of simple imprisonment in a disproportionate assets case

The court also imposes a fine of Rs 50 lakhs each on Ponmudy and his wife

The court suspended the sentence for 30 days for Ponmudy as… pic.twitter.com/2pTUyUqqw9

— ANI (@ANI) December 21, 2023

The ruling overturned a 2016 trial court order that had acquitted the 72-year-old minister and his wife. The charges date back to Ponmudy's tenure as minister between 2006-2011 under DMK rule when his wealth saw a 65.99% spike from known income sources.

Here’s what Madras court said:

"A complete miscarriage of justice had occurred due to omission of reliable evidence and misinterpretation," noted Justice Jayachandran while revoking the acquittals on Tuesday. He declared the lower court's clean chit as "palpably wrong, manifestly erroneous and demonstrably unsustainable."

The judge also faulted the trial court for assessing the couple as separate entities rather than jointly. "The substance of the charge against Ponmudy's wife is that she held assets of her husband acquired from unknown sources," he explained about the need to club charges.

With ministers expected to maintain transparency in income and lifestyle, the higher court concluded that the veteran leader failed to explain the over 60% rise in wealth. Ignoring strong evidence led to the earlier premature clean chit, as per the latest ruling.

Can Ponmudy's legal team apply to the Supreme Court?

Ponmudy's legal team can still appeal the sentencing in the Supreme Court. But the high court decision threatens to cut short his ongoing second tenure as Tamil Nadu's minister for higher education.

It may also embarrass the ruling DMK which prides itself on probity and ethics in public life. With the party chief MK Stalin making an anti-corruption pitch part of his successful election campaigns, the conviction of a senior cabinet member on graft charges mars that plank to an extent.