On Thursday, the Madras High Court sentenced Tamil Nadu Minister K Ponmudy, a prominent DMK leader, to three years of imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 50 lakh in a disproportionate assets case.

Ponmudy and his wife, both citing their advanced age (73 and 60, respectively), submitted medical records, requesting leniency due to the case's age. The court, however, suspended the sentence for 30 days, allowing the convicts to pursue a higher appeal.

This ruling marked a significant setback for Ponmudy, as the High Court overturned his acquittal in the disproportionate assets case, which dates back to 2002. The case, filed by the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC), alleged that the couple had amassed Rs 1.4 crore in income disproportionate to their known sources during Ponmudy's tenure as a minister from 1996 to 2001.

Initially acquitted by a Vellore court in June, the High Court took suo motu action in August to revise the decision.