I will get justice, says Anbumani Ramadoss over graft case

CHENNAI: Hours after a Delhi court ordered framing of charges against him in a graft case today, former Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss said the development was not a setback for him and hoped that he would get justice.

"I will handle the case by legal means. I am confident that I will get justice and will be discharged from the case," he said in a statement here.

"Today the honourable judge has dismissed my discharge petition. This is a routine judicial process. Since no action has been taken on the case so far, this does not signify any setback for me," he said.

Earlier today, the court said prima facie various offences, including criminal conspiracy, cheating and forgery under the IPC and other provisions of Prevention of Corruption Act were made out against Ramadoss and others.

Tracing the case history, Ramadoss said a few years after the end of his tenure in 2009 as union health minister, CBI had registered a case against some officers of the Health Ministry "suspecting irregularities" in renewal of recognition in 2008 for medical colleges in Indore and Lucknow.

"My name was not there in the preliminary enquiry and the First Information Report. But when the chargesheet was filed in the year 2012, my name was included without any prima facie (basis) but for political reasons," he said.

Stating that he had submitted a discharge petition in 2012, he said the plea was heard by four subsequent judges in the last three and half years.

He said "these types of false cases will not deter us from our endeavours. PMK will continue its journey against corruption with more vigour."