Ponmudi, who served as a Higher Education Minister, lost his post due to the Disproportionate Assets Case. Also, it was confirmed by the Chennai High Court that he had added more assets than his income on the day before yesterday. Justice Jayachandran convicted Ponmudi and his wife Visalakshi and gave a sentence today. Both Ponmudi and his wife Visalakshi have been sentenced to 3 years imprisonment and a fine of 50 lakhs for this case.
The jail sentence was suspended for 30 days. Hence he can use that for appeal in the Supreme Court. Ponmudi has 2 cases of hoarding of assets. A special court acquitted him in a case where he was accused of amassing assets of Rs 1.75 crore more than his income. In 2017, an appeal was filed in the Madras High Court on behalf of the Tamil Nadu Anti-Corruption Department against this order.
R. S. Rajakannappan is an Indian Politician who is also a minister of Backward Classes Welfare, Minister of Khadi and Village Industries, Minister of Nationalised transport, and the former minister of public works. He joined Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam in Feb 2020. However, due to this judgment, Ponmudi’s ministerial and MLA positions have also been lost, and there has been a change in the post given to Ponmudi. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Stalin in his letter to the Governor has recommended allocating the Higher Education Department which was being looked after by Ponmudi to Minister Rajakannappan as an additional responsibility. Hence the portfolios of the Khadi and Village Industries board will be given to R. Ghandi, Minister of Handlooms and Textiles.
Also Read: Minister Ponmudi Disproportionate Assets Case, 3 Years Of Prison