In a significant development, the Madras High Court on Wednesday directed a special court in Vellore to frame charges against DMK General Secretary and Tamil Nadu Water Resources Minister, Duraimurugan, along with his family members, in a case of disproportionate wealth accumulated during his tenure as the Public Works Department Minister.
Justice P Velmurugan’s ruling came while allowing revision petitions filed by the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC). These petitions challenged a previous decision by the Vellore Special Court that had discharged Duraimurugan and his relatives from the case.
The allegations against Duraimurugan claim that he amassed wealth amounting to Rs 3.92 crore, which was disproportionate to his known sources of income during the period from 1996 to 2001. The implicated family members include his wife D Santhakumari, brother Durai Singaram, son D M Kathir Anand (currently serving as the Vellore Lok Sabha MP), and daughter-in-law K Sangeetha.
Initially, in February 2007, the special court in Vellore had discharged the accused from the 2002 case, which was registered under the Prevention of Corruption Act. However, the DVAC contested this decision, leading to the latest directives from the High Court.
