New Delhi: In a significant development for Tamil Nadu Rural Development Minister I Periyasamy, the Supreme Court has intervened by halting the trial court proceedings against him in a corruption case. This decision, delivered on Monday, comes as a relief for Periyasamy who was facing legal action.
A two-judge bench of the apex court, led by Justice Hrishikesh Roy and including Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra, issued the order following an appeal by Periyasamy. He had contested the Madras High Court’s directive to commence trial proceedings against him in the corruption case.
Representing Periyasamy, lawyer Ram Sankar had requested the Supreme Court to postpone the trial and exempt his client from appearing in person before the Chennai court regarding the corruption allegations.
During the hearing, Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, representing Periyasamy, informed the court that despite the apex court granting liberty to request a trial deferment, the trial court had rejected the application. The trial court’s decision stemmed from the High Court’s instruction to conclude the trial by July 31, 2024.
After considering Sibal’s arguments, the Supreme Court temporarily halted the trial proceedings against Periyasamy. The court stated, “This Court is evaluating the merits of the judgment. We believe that the trial ordered by the lower court should be suspended while this court deliberates on the accused’s challenge. Therefore, the proceedings are stayed until the next hearing.”
Initially, on March 17, 2023, a trial court had acquitted Periyasamy of corruption charges due to insufficient evidence. However, on February 26 of the current year, the Madras High Court overturned this decision and ordered the initiation of trial proceedings against him.
Periyasamy subsequently appealed to the Supreme Court, contesting the High Court’s decision and seeking its reversal. Senior lawyer Sibal argued that obtaining prior sanction for Periyasamy’s prosecution, as per Section 197 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) 1860 and other relevant provisions, should have been granted by the state governor, who is the appropriate authority under the law. He pointed out that in this case, the prosecution sanction was issued by the state assembly speaker, which he deemed invalid. Sibal stressed that sanction for acts performed in the capacity of a cabinet minister should only be granted by the governor.
Periyasamy, who served as the cabinet minister for housing and urban development in the DMK government from 2006 to 2011, has maintained that he approved the allocation of land to an individual named Ganesan but denies any involvement in bribery or personal gain from his actions.
