The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Special court tenure extended again

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Oct 03, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Special court tenure extended again

By K.T. Sangameswaran

CHENNAI, OCT. 2. The Tamil Nadu Government has extended the tenure of a special court, located at Singaravelar Maaligai here, by another six months.

The tenure ended on September 30 as per the earlier government order. With the government now according sanction for the continuance of the court, its tenure will end on March 31 next, official sources told The Hindu .

Earlier, when the tenure ended on June 30 this year, the Government accepted a Madras High Court recommendation and accorded sanction for the continuance of the court for three months. Low pendency of cases was the main reason for the short extension.

High Court suggestion

At one stage, the High Court even suggested that it be converted into one more sessions court so that it could handle regular as well as Prevention of Corruption Act cases.

At present, three cases are pending before the special court, set up along with two others, during the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam rule by an order in April 1997 for expeditious disposal of cases of corruption registered against ministers in the previous All-India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam rule. A total of 46 cases were allocated among the three courts. Their tenure was extended from time to time, depending on the pendency of cases and also taking into account the retirement of the presiding officers. Two courts were wound up later.

Charge sheets in the cases now pending, which were registered as early as 1996 and 1997, were filed in the existing special court after the AIADMK came back to power.

In the Rs. 3.72-crore "disproportionate assets case" against the former Agriculture Minister, Ku.Pa. Krishnan, the accused have filed petitions seeking discharge. In the Rs. 21.36-lakh "disproportionate wealth case" against the former AIADMK MLA, Theni V. Panneerselvam, a petition seeking Tamil copies of some documents in the charge sheet, is pending before the High Court.

In another case of alleged irregularities in purchase and supply of laboratory articles for government arts and science colleges and aided colleges during the previous AIADMK rule, copies of the charge sheet are not ready. The court has posted the case to October 20.

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