The Madras High Court ordered Tamil Nadu Higher Education Minister and DMK leader K Ponmudi and his wife, former school head teacher P Visalakshi to spend three years in prison under section 13 (2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act. A disproportionate assets case involving property worth around Rs. 1, Both were fined 50 lakh rupees each by the court.
According to the court’s ruling, if Ponmudi and his wife could not pay the fine they would be sentenced to yet another six months in prison.
The accused’s senior counsel, N. R. Ellango, argued that the sentence should be suspended, and his clients given leave to apply for special leave to appeal before the Supreme Court.
Besides allowing leave for 30 days, the judge also suspended his sentence. The judge said that when the term of suspension is completed, they must report to the trial court in Villupuram.
Legal experts said that Ponmudi, sentenced to prison and removed from office as MLA, has lost his status in the legislature. This will also cause him to lose his minister’s position.
The court reversed an order of a trial-court judge, exonerating Ponmudi and his wife in the case.
Upon the appeal made by Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption, Justice G. Jayachandran passed orders overturning the acquittal given to Ponmudi and his wife by Principal District Judge Villupuram.
According to the prosecution, if you look at Ponmudi’s bank account and those of his wife during these years as a Minister under the DMK regime (2006–11), he had unearned profits.