Madras High Court directs special court to frame charges against Tamil Nadu Minister Duraimurugan in one more wealth case

Chennai: The Madras High Court on Thursday reversed a local court order discharging senior DMK leader and Tamil Nadu Minister Duraimurugan in a disproportionate wealth case, and directed a special court to frame charges against him and his wife.

This was the second case in two days involving Duraimurugan where the HC had given a similar order. On Wednesday, Justice P Velmurugan had directed a special court in Vellore district to frame charges in accordance with law against the DMK General Secretary and his family members in a disproportionate wealth case with a different check period (1996-2001).

On Thursday, Justice Velmurugan directed a special court in Vellore to frame charges against Duraimurugan and his wife in a case relating to amassing wealth to the tune of Rs 1.40 crore disproportionate to his known sources of income during the check period 2007-09. He held the Public Works Department portfolio in the 2006-11 DMK government.

The case was filed in 2011 by the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) and the couple was discharged in 2017 by a special court in Vellore. DVAC had challenged it before the HC.

The judge directed the special court to dispose of the case within six months by conducting the trial on a day-to-day basis.