Tamil Nadu Higher Education Minister K. Ponmudy was fined ₹50 lakh and given a three-year prison sentence for preventing corruption offence by Judge G. Jayachandran. Following his conviction, Ponmudy was immediately disqualified from state cabinet and legislative assembly because he was convicted under Section 8(1) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951.
P. Visalakshi, Ponmudy’s spouse was also given a similar sentence. If they do not pay the fine, they will be imprisoned for an additional six months. Additionally, the verdict gives the convicted parties 30 days to file an appeal with the Supreme Court. Ponmudy, 72, and his spouse both provided their medical records and filed an appeal seeking a reduced sentence.
On September 26, 2011, the Department of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption had filed a case against Ponmudy and his spouse claiming that the Minister and his spouse had accumulated assets exceeding 65.99 percent between April 13, 2006, and May 13, 2010. Ponmudy and his spouse accumulated assets worth Rs 1.72 crore, which is highly disproportionate to their known income sources.
However, for Stalin led government in Tamil Nadu and I.N.D.I alliance this is just another feather in its cap of corruption.
LIST OF MINISTERS:
Here’s a full list of ministers facing corruption-
- Duraimurugan– ED alleged Duraimurugan (Minister of water resources) of being involved in ₹4730 crore illegal sand mining case. The central agency in the charge sheet alleged that the officials of the water Resource department were asked by Duraimurugan to not appear before the ED.
- Thangam Thennarasu– The state finance minister Thennarasu was under Suo Moto cognizance by the high court. In 2012, during the AIADMK’s rule, a charge sheet was brought against him and his spouse. It was alleged that their assets exceeded their known sources of income by ₹74.58 lakh. However in 2022 they were acquitted.
- KKSSR Ramchandran– The Madras high court took Suo Moto cognizance against the state revenue minister for his disproportionate assets. Under the Prevention of Corruption Act, he and his wife were accused of possessing assets valued at ₹44 lakh.
- Senthil Balaji– In a money laundering case connected to the cash for jobs scam, the ED detained him. He was the minister of transportation when the scam happened. The Supreme Court is keeping him on remand and isn’t providing him with any relief at this time.
- EV Velu– Recently, the Tamil Nadu Public Works and Highway Minister’s office was the target of multiple searches by the Income Tax Department. Cash worth ₹29 crore was taken from properties connected to him.
Additionally, they discovered incriminating documents that showed tax evasion in crores.
- I Periyasamy– The Directorate of Vigilance and Anti Corruption had registered a FIR against him in illegal plot allotment in 2012. In September this year the Madras high court took up the Suo Moto revision of his discharge. It stated his discharge as “A model for all wrong reasons”
- Lalu Yadav– Recently, the ED has summoned Lalu Yadav (former railway minister), Tejashwi Yadav and others in the “Land-for-jobs” scam. The case was registered on May 18, 2022. Earlier CBI had sentenced Lalu Yadav to 5 years imprisonment and ₹60 Lakh fine in the fifth Fodder scam case.
- Aman Jain – AAP leader and Punjab Cabinet Minister has been sentenced to two years imprisonment in a family dispute case.
- Manish Sisodia– The leader of the AAP and a former Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi recently filed for bail but was denied. He was arrested by CBI in a money laundering case involving the national capital’s excise policy scam. In this case transfer of money worth ₹338 crore is established.
- Sanjay Singh– ED recently filed a charge sheet against AAP parliamentarian for his key role in Delhi Liquor case. He is accused of receiving bribe worth ₹2 crore. Currently he is in judicial custody.
- Satyendra Jain– AAP’s senior leader and former Cabinet Minister Satyendar Jain is an accused in the same money laundering case. The Delhi excise policy is said to have generated ₹100 crore in kickbacks, which the AAP allegedly used in its campaign for the 2022 Goa assembly elections. ₹2,873 crore has been estimated as the loss resulting from the irregularities in the excise policy.
Overall the list can go on but corruption seems to be the only glue that holds INDI alliance together be it the National Herald scam or the Delhi Liquor scam. As stated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi it seems to be an alliance formed on the compulsion of “Power, Corruption and Dynastic Politics”.