HC dismisses plea for probe into allegations against TN govt

The Madras High Court has dismissed a PIL seeking a direction to the offices of the President and the Tamil Nadu Governor to take necessary action against Chief Minister K Palaniswami and his group on corruption charges.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice M Sundar in its recent order dismissed the PIL of social activist Traffic Ramaswamy, holding that the charges were devoid of material particulars.
The bench also observed that the source of information (of the allegations) was not clear.
Besides action against Palaniswami and his group, the petitioner also wanted the state assembly be suspended.

Referring to the allegation that bribe ranging from Rs 2 crore to Rs 6 crore was offered to MLAs by Palaniswami and his group (in support for the trust vote held on February 18 last), the bench said the source of the information had not been revealed by the petitioner.
Ramaswamy was not an MLA and he obviously not in the bus in which AIADMK legislators were taken to a resort, it said.

The bench also rejected the contention of the petitioner that the practice of MLAs and ministers keeping illuminated photographs of a 'convicted' person (late chief minister Jayalaltihaa) in their vehicles was a serious offence.

The petitioner had not adverted to any provision of law, which prevents a MLA from putting up an illuminated photograph of a leader.
"It is not for this court to decide whether illuminated photograph of person convicted by a court of law should be put up," the court said.