CHENNAI: A special court in the city summoned minister of Health and Family Welfare Ma Subramanian and his wife in a case of alleged grabbing of government land.

On Thursday, the special court, hearing cases related to MPs/MLAs, took up the pending case filed against Ma Subramanian and his wife Kanchana pursuant to the direction of the High Court.

The counsel for the minister submitted a petition under section 355 after they failed to appear before the court. The special court directed both accused to appear on May 6 without fail for framing of charges. The complainant, S Parthiban, lodged a complaint against the minister and his wife alleging that in 1996, he grabbed two plots of SIDCO at Labour Colony in Guindy, submitting forged documents.

Subramanian used his political clout to grab the plot from SK Kannan, who had originally received the plot at a subsidy. Producing forged documents, Subramanian transferred the title in his favour, when he was the Mayor of GCC, he alleged. While the matter was pending before the special court, the minister moved a petition in HC seeking to quash the case. On March 28, the HC directed the minister to face trial.