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NEW DELHI: In a major relief for Tamil Nadu‘s former education minister and senior DMK leader K Ponmudi, the Supreme Court on Monday stayed the conviction in connection with a disproportionate assets case against him, Bar and Bench reported.
A bench of justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan also suspended the three-year prison of his wife and directed that she can move to the special court for bail.
In December, last year, the Madras high court sentenced him to three years of imprisonment leading to his immediate disqualification as an MLA and a minister.
On December 19, the court set aside a 2016 order passed by Villupuram special court for cases against MPs and MLAs acquitting Ponmudy and his wife in a 2011 disproportionate asset case registered by the DVAC.
In April 2016, Villupuram special judge for the Prevention of Anti-Corruption Act cases T Sundaramoorthy acquitted the minister and his wife from the ground that the prosecution had failed to prove that they amassed Rs 1.36crore wealth disproportionate to their known sources of income.
The supreme court had excused them from turning themselves in on January 12.
Since the High Court postponed their sentencing so they may appeal to the highest court, they have not yet been placed in jail.
The couple came before the supreme court today with senior advocates Mukul Rohatgi, Siddharth Lutra, and Abhishek Manu Singhvi representing them.
Ponmudi and his spouse are also involved in a suo motu revision case that the High Court started, wherein the couple’s June 2018 acquittal in another matter involving disproportionate assets is being examined.
A bench of justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan also suspended the three-year prison of his wife and directed that she can move to the special court for bail.
In December, last year, the Madras high court sentenced him to three years of imprisonment leading to his immediate disqualification as an MLA and a minister.
On December 19, the court set aside a 2016 order passed by Villupuram special court for cases against MPs and MLAs acquitting Ponmudy and his wife in a 2011 disproportionate asset case registered by the DVAC.
In April 2016, Villupuram special judge for the Prevention of Anti-Corruption Act cases T Sundaramoorthy acquitted the minister and his wife from the ground that the prosecution had failed to prove that they amassed Rs 1.36crore wealth disproportionate to their known sources of income.
The supreme court had excused them from turning themselves in on January 12.
Since the High Court postponed their sentencing so they may appeal to the highest court, they have not yet been placed in jail.
The couple came before the supreme court today with senior advocates Mukul Rohatgi, Siddharth Lutra, and Abhishek Manu Singhvi representing them.
Ponmudi and his spouse are also involved in a suo motu revision case that the High Court started, wherein the couple’s June 2018 acquittal in another matter involving disproportionate assets is being examined.
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