Chennai: Madras High Court has sentenced Tamil Nadu Higher Education Minister K Ponmudi to three years of simple imprisonment in a disproportionate assets case. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 50 lakh each on Ponmudi and his wife.
However, the court kept his sentence in abeyance for 30 days, considering his current portfolio as the state higher education minister. The Madras High Court has granted Ponmudi bail.
The case against Ponmudi and his wife was registered by the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) in 2002, when the AIADMK was in power in the state. The DVAC claimed that Ponmudi amassed illegal wealth during his tenure as a minister in the state government from 1996 to 2001.
On June 28, a session court in Vellore acquitted Ponmudi and his wife due to a lack of evidence. However, the Madras High Court took suo motu cognizance of the acquittal and decided to reconsider the case in August.
Ponmudi, who hails from Villupuram district, is currently a six-time MLA representing the Tirukkoyilur constituency in Kallakurichi district. He holds a PhD and had also worked as a professor before joining politics at DMK.
Comments are closed.