New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday stayed the conviction of Tamil Nadu Higher Education Minister K Ponmudi in connection with a disproportionate assets case against him. A bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan also suspended the sentence of his wife P Visalakshi. Senior advocate Sidharth Luthra, representing the minister and his wife, said Ponmudi got a stay of sentence and conviction both, and his wife got a stay of sentence.
Advocate Pulkit Tare, also representing the minister and his wife, said that the apex court noted that it is a matter of reversal of conviction therefore, the matter has to be dealt with beyond reasonable doubt. Tare said the apex court also emphasised that overwhelming public interest is also involved in the matter because Ponmudi is a returned candidate and then re-election has to be done.
In January this year, the apex court had exempted them from surrendering in the matter. The minister and his wife have not been imprisoned yet as the High Court had suspended their sentence to allow them to move to the apex court.
In December last year, the Madras High Court sentenced the Tamil Nadu Higher Education Minister and his wife Visalatchi to three years of simple imprisonment in a disproportionate assets case. For the first time since the DMK came to power in 1967, a sitting Minister from the party has been convicted and sentenced in a disproportionate assets case. Ponmudi faced immediate disqualification upon his conviction as it was under Section 8(1) of the People’s Representation Act, 1951.
Ponmudi’s wife, P Visalakshi, the second accused in the case, also received a similar sentence. The judge suspended the sentence for 30 days to enable them to prefer an appeal to the Supreme Court. Both Ponmudi, 72 and his wife submitted their medical records and appealed for a lower quantum of punishment.
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