HC moved against discharge of two ministers in wealth case

Madurai, March 29 Two AIADMK lawyers have moved the Madurai Bench of Madras High Court challenging recent lower court's order discharging two ministers in disproportionate wealth cases.
The lower court had discharged Union Minister of State S Regupathy and Tamil Nadu Minister I Periyasamy in a case against them, filed by Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption.
In their criminal revision petition seeking to set aside the January last orders of Pudukottai and Dindigul Chief Judicial Magistrates, the petitioners S Jayapaul and Ramachandran said the trial courts had not properly appreciated the prosecution's evidence.
When the petitions came up before Justice S Nagamuthu yesterday, advocates for the Ministers contended the petitioners had no right to challenge the lower court's order. They were neither the complainant nor were they affected in any way.
The petitioners contended that the matter pertained to public money and everybody had a locus standi to question it.
The DVAC had accused Regupathy of amassing wealth beyond his known sources of income during 1991-96, when he was a minister in the then AIADMK cabinet. He later joined DMK.
Periyasamy was charged with amassing wealth beyond his known sources of income when he was a state minister during the previous DMK regime in 1996-2001.
The Judge, after hearing both sides, posted the petitions to Friday for deciding maintainability.- Agencies chennaionline.com; Published: Sunday, March 30, 2008