In a blow for the M K Stalin-led DMK administration in Tamil Nadu, the Madras High Court on Tuesday found Tamil Nadu's Minister for Higher Education K Ponmudy and his wife P Visalatchi guilty in a disproportionate assets case, overturning a lower court's 2016 acquittal. The quantum of the sentence will be announced on December 21. Ponmudy would lose the minister post if the Supreme Court fails to stay his conviction on appeal.

Justice G Jayachandran presided over the appeal filed by the state government’s Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) in 2017. The appeal challenged the acquittal of Ponmudy and Visalatchi by the special court for Prevention of Corruption Act cases in Villupuram. The HC’s verdict found that the trial court had failed to properly assess the prosecution’s evidence, leading to an erroneous acquittal.

In response to the appeal, Justice G Jayachandran issued an order on Tuesday, finding the Minister, K Ponmudy, guilty of accumulating assets exceeding his known sources of income by 64.9%. This pertains to his term as the Minister for Mines and Minerals in the DMK government from 2006 to 2011.

Judge G Jayachandram found the minister and his wife guilty of crimes under the Prevention of Corruption Act and stated that the special judge had erred in acquitting them.

Following the recent ruling, the court has instructed both Ponmudy and his wife to appear before the court on December 21, at which time the quantum of sentences will be determined.

Ponmudy served as the previous DMK government's minister of mines and minerals. 39 witnesses were questioned by the trial court, including bank employees and an Andhra Pradesh tehsildar who worked in the registration department.

Expressing dissatisfaction with the acquittal, the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) filed an appeal contesting the decision. The high court, upon reviewing the appeal, has overturned the trial court's order and set it aside.

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