CHENNAI: The sessions court Chennai transferred the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) case against Gautham Sigamani (Kallakurichi MP) to a special court for MP/MLAs.
In 2012 the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) registered a complaint against Tamil Nadu Higher Education Department minister K Ponmudy for having aided his son, Gautham Sigamani, other family members, and aides to illegally quarry red sand in Villupuram, when he served as minister for Mines and Minerals between February 13, 2007, and May 15, 2007.
Allegedly, when Ponmudy was the minister of mines and minerals in 2007, he used his power and illegally quarried red sand in Villupuram. Due to this, he caused Rs. 28.36 crore loss for the exchequer of Tamil Nadu.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) also filed a case against Ponmudy and his son Gautham Sigamani on the basis of the DVAC complaint. Recently, the ED sleuths raided the places owned by Ponmudy in Chennai and Villupuram. Subsequently, he was taken to the ED office in Chennai and questioned. In connection with the case, the ED has filed a chargesheet with 90 pages against Gautham Sigamani in the principal sessions court in Chennai.
At this juncture, the principal judge S Alli, transferred the trial of the case against Gautham Sigamani to a special court constituted for cases against MP/MLAs, in Chennai. The judge also directed that the trial will commence from September 11.