Special court serves chargesheet to Gautham Sigamani MP
Recording the appearance the judge served the charge sheet filed by ED and adjourned the hearing of the case to December 22.
CHENNAI: A special court in Chennai served the chargesheet to Gautham Sigamani in the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) case booked by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
Member of Parliament (MP) Gautham Sigamani and four others appeared before a special judge T Malarvalantina, hearing cases related to MP/MLAs. Recording the appearance the judge served the charge sheet filed by ED and adjourned the hearing of the case to December 22.
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.
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 caused Rs. 28.36 crore loss for the exchequer of Tamil Nadu.
ED filed a case against Ponmudy and his son Gautham Sigamani 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.
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.
