On Monday, November 6, the Supreme Court declined to intervene in the Madras High Court's spontaneous decision to reopen the acquittal of Tamil Nadu Minister Ponmudi and his wife in a case involving disproportionate assets. The Supreme Court commended Justice Anand Venkatesh of the Madras High Court for initiating the suo motu order, but it rejected the petitions filed by Ponmudi and his wife, Visalatchi, making it clear that they retain the option to present their arguments before the High Court.

The apex court considered a plea by Ponmudi concerning the order issued by Justice Venkatesh, which revoked the transfer of the Tamil Nadu Minister's case and his subsequent acquittal.

"Thank God we have judges like Justice Anand Venkatesh in our system. Imagine, how does Chief Justice have the power to transfer trial from one district to another? And this (was) involving a sitting minister. Thank God we have judges like him," CJI Chandrachud said.

Case Brief -

The case against Ponmudi and his wife was initiated by the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) in 2002, coinciding with the AIADMK's return to power in the state. The DVAC alleged that the accused individuals had accumulated illicit assets during Ponmudi's tenure as a minister in the DMK government, spanning from 1996 to 2001.

On August 10th of this year, Justice Venkatesh of the Madras High Court expressed dissatisfaction with the way the trial against Ponmudi in the case was shifted from a Villupuram district court to Vellore.

The transfer was executed with administrative approval from three High Court judges, including the then Chief Justice Munishwar Nath Bhandari, and Justices T Raja and V Bhavani Subborayan.

Justice Venkatesh, however, opined that the transfer in the matter was a "calculated attempt to manipulate and subvert the criminal justice system."

After the trial was transferred on June 7, the principal district judge at Vellore, N Vasanthaleela (who has since retired), ultimately acquitted Ponmudi in the disproportionate assets case with a ruling issued on June 28.

In August, Justice Venkatesh, who held the portfolio for cases involving MPs and MLAs, raised concerns about the developments and expressed that something was 'seriously amiss.' Consequently, he made the decision to revoke Judge Vasanthaleela's order.