SC stays restoration of trials against Tamil Nadu ministers

The Supreme Court on Friday stayed the operation of a Madras High Court judgement restoring corruption cases against Tamil Nadu minister for revenue and disaster management KKSSR Ramachandran and human resource management minister Thangam Thenarasu.

A division bench comprising Justices Hrishikesh Roy and Prashant Kumar Mishra issued notice on a plea filed by the ministers. "It is argued by the accused that the special judge has to decide whether there is prima facie case in the new supplementary report, but the HC judge has already said the case to be proceeded," the bench noted in its order. Appearing on behalf of the state, Tamil Nadu Advocate General PS Raman argued that the state is also planning to file an appeal challenging the HC judgement. The bench asked the state and other respondents to file their responses within a period of four weeks. The Madras HC had last month set aside two special court orders that discharged Ramachandran, Thenarasu and their wives in corruption cases.