Madras HC upholds DMK ex-Min Senguttuvan's conviction in Rs 81.42 lakh assets case

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Monday dismissed the appeal filed by four family members of former DMK minister BM Senguttuvan and upheld their three-year rigorous imprisonment for amassing Rs 81.42 lakh in disproportionate assets.

Justice GK Ilanthiraiyan held that the prosecution had established the charge of disproportionate assets against the accused in accordance with the law. Hence, the court found no reason to interfere with the judgment of conviction and sentence passed by the trial court and confirmed the same.

Accordingly, the criminal appeal was dismissed, and the connected miscellaneous petitions were closed.

BM Senguttuvan, who was elected on a DMK ticket from Marungapuri in 1996, served as the Minister for Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments and Animal Husbandry during the DMK regime from 1996 to 2001, before switching to the AIADMK.

The Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) registered a disproportionate assets case against him, alleging that he and his family had acquired assets worth 163.45% more than their known sources of income between 1996 and 2001.

As Senguttuvan and his son-in-law C Rajalingam died in 2021 and 2017, respectively, the court abated the case against them.

The Principal District Judge K Babu sentenced Senguttuvan's sons, S Panneerselvam and S Sakthivel, daughter R Meenakshi, and niece V Valli to three years' rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 2,000 each for amassing Rs 81.42 lakh in disproportionate assets.

Aggrieved by the trial court's order, S Panneerselvam, S Sakthivel, R Meenakshi and V Valli filed an appeal before the Madras High Court.