M A I N   N E W S

Muthiah gets 25 months’ RI
Disproportionate assets case

CHENNAI, March 8 (PTI, UNI) — Former Union Minister R. Muthiah was today sentenced by a special court here to 25 months’ rigorous imprisonment (RI) for accumulating ill-gotten wealth during his tenure as Speaker of the Tamil Nadu Assembly.

Special Judge S. Sambandam found Mr Muthiah guilty of accumulating wealth to the tune of Rs 45.74 lakh during his tenure as Speaker between 1991 and 1996 when the AIADMK was in power.

The judge also sentenced Mr Muthiah’s two sons — Manimaran and Arivazhagan — to 25 months’ RI each, finding them guilty of abetting their father.

All three were also fined Rs 5,000 each.

The judge held that the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DAVC) had proved its case against him and his sons beyond all reasonable doubt.

The judge, however, acquitted Mr Muthiah’s wife Sakuntala of charges of abetment.

Mr Sambandham suspended the sentences of Mr Muthiah and his two sons, on their furnishing personal bonds of Rs 10,000 each, till April 10 to enable them appeal to against the verdict.

A shopping complex at Purasawalkam in the city, a building consisting of 12 flats at Thirumangalam in Madurai district and lands in Malaiyagoundanpatti in Dindigul district in the names of the accused were among the property cited by the prosecution in the case.

The case of abetment against Mr Muthiah’s daughter Malarvizhi has been split up and is proceeding separately.

A total of 45 prosecution witnesses and 54 defence witnesses were examined in the case.

Mr Muthiah, who was Surface Transport Minister for a brief while in the Vajpayee government in 1998, was forced to resign within a month, after the court framed charges against him.

The case of possession of wealth “disproportionate to his known sources of income” was filed in 1996 by the DAVC.

The special courts were set up by the DMK government to try corruption cases against former Chief Minister Jayalalitha, some of her ministerial colleagues and government officials.

The AIADMK supremo was found guilty of misuse of office in the Pleasant Stay Hotel case and sentenced to one year RI on February 2, while former AIADMK minister Nagoor Meeran and his wife, and former AIADMK MLA G. Malliga had earlier been convicted by the court in “wealth” cases.

Mr R. Muthiah, meanwhile, has said he will appeal against his conviction.

Soon after the judgement was pronounced, Mr Muthiah told reporters that he would appeal against his conviction in the Madras High Court.

The conviction and sentence of 25 months’ rigorous imprisonment awarded today to AIADMK senior leader Sedapatti T. Muthiah by Special Judge-1 S. Sambandam in a corruption case will have a bearing on his political career as he cannot contest an election for the next six years.

As the sentence exceeds two years, as per provisions of the Representation of the People’s Act (RPA), Mr Muthiah will not be eligible to contest the election for six years unless a higher court reverses the verdict.

Public prosecutor G. Krishnamoorthy told newspersons as per Sections 8 and 9 of the RPA that Mr Muthiah was barred from contesting an election for six years as the sentence exceeded two years.