Justice Anand Venkatesh refuses to recuse from hearing suo motu revision against Tamil Nadu Minister Ponmudy’s acquittal

Justice Anand Venkatesh of the Madras High Court refused to recuse from hearing a suo motu revision petition taken up by him last month against the acquittal of Higher Education Minister K. Ponmudy and his family members from a disproportionate assets case.

Justice N. Anand Venkatesh of the Madras High Court on September 14 refused to recuse from hearing a suo motu revision petition taken up by him last month against the acquittal of Higher Education Minister K. Ponmudy and his family members from a disproportionate assets case.

The judge passed a detailed order rejecting the request made by the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) as well as the Minister on September 7, 2023 requesting him to desist from hearing the suo motu revision any further since he had already made certain strong remarks.

The investigating agency as well as the Minister had prayed for recusal by stating that the judge had found fault with the High Court administration in having transferred the disproportionate assets case from Villupuram to Vellore without giving an opportunity of hearing to the High Court Registry.

The DVAC had also said that the suo motu revision was taken up by the judge even before the expiry of the period within which the DVAC could file an appeal challenging the acquittal.

The Minister had stated that he was not party to the administrative orders passed by the High Court transferring the case from Villupuram to Vellore and therefore he would not be in a position to address arguments on those issues unless he was served with copies of the materials which culminated in the transfer of the case from one district to another.