CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has quashed criminal proceedings against three HR&CE officials in a temple fund misappropriation case, holding that there was no basis to continue the prosecution against them, but asked the trial court to continue the proceedings against the other accused in the case.
The Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) had registered a case against 13 people, including the then HR&CE Deputy Commissioner, a cashier, and other employees, many of them temporary staff, after a preliminary inquiry allegedly revealed that they had misappropriated temple funds to the tune of Rs 2.96 lakh.
According to the prosecution, they colluded with one another and siphoned funds by producing forged bills relating to ‘Paditharam’ and ‘Thiruvizha’ expenses incurred between 2004 and 2006.
A charge sheet was filed in 2024, and the case has been pending before a court in Nagercoil. Subsequently, N Kuttalam, the cashier, and A Mohana Kumar and S Rameshkumar, both officials, approached the Madras High Court seeking to quash the proceedings against them.
After hearing the petitioners and the government, Justice GK Ilanthiraiyan observed that the continuation of the trial would serve no purpose, as there was no basis to proceed with the charges against the petitioners. Continuing the proceedings against them would amount to mala fide action and an abuse of the process of law, forcing the petitioners to undergo the rigours of a criminal trial, the judge held. Accordingly, the petitions were allowed, and the proceedings against the petitioners were quashed. However, the judge directed the trial court to proceed with the trial against the remaining persons facing prosecution in accordance with the law.