Madras HC discharges Veerapandi's family from case

Madras High Court today discharged family members of the deceased former DMK Minister Veerapandi S Arumugam from a disproportionate assets case and ordered issue of notice to two other former ministers Durai Murugan and M R K Panneer Selvam, facing similar charges.
Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) had earlier got the court's nod to challenge the discharge of three former DMK ministers and some of their family members from disproportionate assets cases, after it sought to condone the delay in filing the criminal revision petition.
Dismissing DVAC's criminal revision petition against Arumugam and his family members, Justice S Rajeswaran said since the first accused (Arumugam), who only can explain about the disproportionate assets, has died, "it is not proper to shift the burden on the co accused (deceased's family members), .. Any further proceedings against the co accused will be only futile."

Meanwhile, in another court, Justice T Sudanthiram, ordered notice of motion to Durai Murugan and Panneer Selvam, returnable in four weeks on the revision petition filed by the DVAC, challenging the orders of the lower courts, discharging them from the disproportionate assets case.