Madras HC Upholds 3-Year Jail Term for Kin of Former Minister P M Senguttuvan

The Madras High Court in Chennai has upheld the three-year prison sentence imposed on four family members of the deceased former DMK minister P M Senguttuvan in a disproportionate assets case.

Justice G K Ilanthiraiyan dismissed the appeals filed by the convicts, confirming the verdict earlier delivered by the trial court against Senguttuvan's two sons, his daughter, and his brother's daughter.

The case stems from an investigation by the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption against Senguttuvan and his family members. The agency registered a First Information Report alleging that the family accumulated assets disproportionate to their known sources of income to the tune of ₹81.42 lakh during his tenure as a minister.

Senguttuvan served as the Member of Legislative Assembly from Marungapuri and held the portfolio of Minister for Animal Husbandry in the DMK government between 1996 and 2001. He later switched political allegiance and joined the AIADMK.

The DVAC case named Senguttuvan, his sons S Panneerselvam and Sakthivel, his daughter Meenakshi, his son-in-law Rajalingam, and his brother's daughter Valli. The trial was conducted before the Principal Sessions Court in Trichy.

During the course of the proceedings, Senguttuvan and his son-in-law Rajalingam passed away, leading the trial court to drop all charges against them.

In October 2023, the Trichy Principal Sessions Court delivered its judgment, convicting Panneerselvam, Sakthivel, Meenakshi, and Valli. The trial court sentenced each of the four individuals to three years of imprisonment and imposed a fine of ₹2,000 each.

Panneerselvam and the other three convicts subsequently approached the Madras High Court challenging the trial court's conviction and sentence. After hearing the matter, Justice Ilanthiraiyan found no merit in the appeals and upheld the three-year jail term for all four appellants.