Chennai: In a significant development, Tamil Nadu's Higher Education Minister, K Ponmudy, and his wife, P Visalatchi, who were acquitted in a disproportionate assets case earlier this year, face fresh challenges as the Supreme Court on Monday declined to interfere with the Madras High Court's decision to reopen the case.

During the hearing, the Supreme Court expressed shock at the manner in which the case was transferred to another district for trial and commended High Court Judge Justice N Anand Venkatesh, who took suo motu cognizance of the acquittal of the Tamil Nadu Minister and his wife in a disproportionate assets case.

The bench, led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, lauded Justice Venkatesh's actions, stating, "Thank god we have judges like Justice Venkatesh. Imagine, the case involving a sitting minister was transferred from one district to another. Thank god we have judges like him."

Furthermore, Chief Justice Chandrachud expressed astonishment at the manner in which the case was transferred from one district to another by the Chief Justice of the Madras High Court. He remarked, "Look at the conduct of the Chief Justice; he transfers the case from one district to another."

In a recent development, Tamil Nadu's Higher Education Minister and his wife had petitioned the Supreme Court to challenge an order from the Madras High Court. The Madras High Court had taken suo motu cognizance of their acquittal in a 2002 disproportionate assets case.

On August 10 this year, Justice N Anand Venkatesh of the Madras High Court had taken suo motu cognizance of the acquittal order passed by the Vellore district court and issued notices to Ponmudy, his wife, and other individuals involved in the case.

Justice Venkatesh had expressed reservations in his revision order regarding the way the case against Ponmudy and others was transferred from the District Court in Villupuram to the District Court in Vellore, especially when the trial in the Villupuram court was in its final stages. On Monday, the Supreme Court refused to interfere with the Madras High Court's order and directed advocates representing Ponmudy to pursue the case in the High Court.

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