Special court adjourns PMLA case against Gautham Sigamani MP

CHENNAI: A special court in Chennai adjourned the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) case against Gautham Sigamani, Member of Parliament (MP) and the son of convicted former Minister K Ponmudy, as he did not appear before the court for framing charges.

The case was listed before the Additional Special Judge T Malaravalantina.

The counsel for the co-accused Raja Mahendran submitted that there is some ambiguity in the charge sheet filed by the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) against him and sought for explanation.

After the submission, the judge recorded the nonappearance of Gautham Sigamani and adjourned the matter to January 24.

In 2012, the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) registered a complaint against former 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.

It was alleged that when Ponmudy was the minister of mines and minerals in 2007, he used his power and illegally quarried red sand in Villupuram.

It was also alleged that due to this, he incurred Rs. 28.36 crore loss for the exchequer of Tamil Nadu.

ED filed a case against Ponmudy, his son Gautham Sigamani, and four others on the basis of the DVAC complaint.

Subsequently, ED sleuths raided the places owned by Ponmudy in Chennai and Villupuram. Further, he was taken to the ED office in Chennai and questioned him.

In connection with the case, the ED has filed a chargesheet with 90 pages against Gautham Sigamani in the principal sessions court in Chennai.

Later, the case was transferred to a special court constituted for cases against MP/MLAs, in Chennai, for trial.