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CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Wednesday directed the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) to respond to former minister Anitha R Radhakrishnan's plea seeking to vacate the interim stay on the trial of the disproportionate assets case pending against him before a court in Thoothukudi.
Former Minister Anitha R Radhakrishnan informed a Bench comprising Chief Justice SA Dharmadhikari and Justice G Arul Murugan that he had filed an application seeking to vacate the interim stay imposed on the trial of the disproportionate assets case pending before the Thoothukudi Court.
The Bench directed the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) to file their responses within two weeks. The Court also extended the interim stay on the proceedings in the disproportionate assets case pending before the Thoothukudi Court.
The case arises from a transfer petition filed by ED Assistant Director Nalini Ravikrishnan before the Madras High Court. In the petition, the ED stated that Radhakrishnan served as a Member of the Legislative Assembly from the Tiruchendur constituency between May 14, 2001 and May 12, 2006. He served as Minister for Animal Husbandry during the first year of his tenure and as Housing Minister for the remainder of the term.
The DVAC had registered a disproportionate assets case against Radhakrishnan and his family in 2019, alleging that he amassed assets worth over Rs 2 crore.
According to the ED, the total value of the pecuniary resources and properties held by Radhakrishnan, his wife, brothers and sons was Rs 23.36 lakh as on May 14, 2001.
The DVAC had registered a disproportionate assets case against Radhakrishnan and his family in 2019, alleging that he amassed assets worth over Rs 2 crore disproportionate to his known sources of income during the period between 2001 and 2006. The case is presently pending trial before a court in Thoothukudi.
Based on the same predicate offence, the ED registered an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in 2025 before the Special PMLA Court in Madurai.
The ED subsequently sought transfer of the disproportionate assets case to the Special PMLA Court in Madurai. However, by an order dated December 11, 2025, the Thoothukudi Special Court dismissed the plea on the ground that it lacked jurisdiction to entertain such a request.
Challenging the order, the ED moved the Madras High Court seeking to set aside the order and obtain an interim stay, contending that transfer of the case would not prejudice either the prosecution or the accused.