CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has directed the George Town trial court not to frame charges against BJP State Treasurer SR Sekar and others in the Rs 4-crore cash seizure case until August 19.
Justice V Lakshminarayanan adjourned the hearing to August 19 and directed the police to file their response and directed the trial court not to proceed with the framing of charges until then.
The case relates to the seizure of a Rs 3.98 crore from the Nellai Express at Tambaram Railway Station during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The cash was allegedly being transported for distribution to voters in the Tirunelveli, from where BJP State president Nainar Nagenthran had contested.
The CB-CID registered a case against 13 persons, including Nainar, former state general secretary (organisation) Kesava Vinayagan, and treasurer Sekar, and filed a charge sheet before the Metropolitan Magistrate, George Town Court, against all 13 accused. The charges were scheduled to be framed on August 11.
Meanwhile, Sekar approached the High Court seeking to quash the case and stay the proceedings before the trial court, arguing that the final report filed against him was arbitrary, mechanical, illegal, and perverse.
He contended that there was no evidence of any overt act, preparation, or attempt to distribute the money to any voter.
The allegation was entirely speculative and based on conjecture rather than legally admissible evidence, he claimed and sought to quash the criminal proceedings.
Appearing for the police, State Public Prosecutor John Sathyan sought time to file a counter to the petition.