Madras HC upholds Geetha Jeevan’s acquittal

Madras HC refuses to interfere with ex-Minister Geetha Jeevan’s acquittal from disproportionate assets case In a significant development, the Madras High Court has declined to interfere with the acquittal of former Minister Geetha Jeevan from a disproportionate assets case. The judgment was delivered by Justice G.K. Ilanthiraiyan, who dismissed a petition filed by a third party seeking to condone a delay of 839 days in preferring a revision against the acquittal..

Kandasamy, a Congress worker, had approached the High Court, claiming that Geetha Jeevan had amassed disproportionate assets during her tenure as a Minister in the DMK government. He had filed a petition seeking condonation of the delay in preferring a revision against the acquittal, arguing that it was justified due to the complexity of the case and the efforts put in by the investigating agency. However, the High Court observed that the delay of 839 days was not justified, and that the petition was filed merely to cause harassment to the accused..

The court noted that the revision petition was filed 26 years after the acquittal, and that the delay had caused undue hardship to the accused. The court relied on the Supreme Court’s decision in the case of S. State of NCT of Delhi (2013) to rule that the delay could not be condoned without sufficient circumstances..

The court held that the third party had failed to demonstrate any exceptional circumstances that would justify condonation of the delay. The Madras High Court’s decision not to interfere with the acquittal is seen as a significant setback for those seeking to reopen the disproportionate assets case against Geetha Jeevan. The acquittal was delivered by a trial court in 2014, and Geetha Jeevan had secured bail from the High Court in 2015..

The third party, Kandasamy, had submitted that the trial court had erred in acquitting Geetha Jeevan, citing discrepancies in her assets and income. However, the High Court observed that the acquittal had been delivered after a thorough examination of the evidence, and that there was no material proof to establish that Geetha Jeevan had amassed disproportionate assets. The decision has triggered a wave of reactions from various quarters, with some hailing it as a victory for Geetha Jeevan, while others have criticized it as a miscarriage of justice..

Former DMK Minister Geetha Jeevan had been accused of amassing Rs. 2.5 crore during her tenure as a Minister in 2006. The case had been investigated by the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Directorate (VAC), which had alleged that Geetha Jeevan and her husband had amassed assets worth over Rs..

2.5 crore within just six months of her becoming a Minister in 2006. However, the trial court had acquitted her, citing lack of concrete evidence. A key witness in the case, A..

Padmanabhan, a former IAS officer, had claimed that Geetha Jeevan’s husband, N. Suresh, had received undue favors from her, including a house and a plot of land worth over Rs. The VAC had alleged that Geetha Jeevan had misused her official position to amass assets, which was vehemently denied by her and her husband..

Geetha Jeevan had argued that she had acquired the assets through legitimate means and that there was no evidence to establish that she had amassed disproportionate assets. The VAC had submitted that Geetha Jeevan’s husband had received a plot of land worth Rs. 50 lakh from the government, and that she had obtained a house worth over Rs..

1 crore through a government scheme. However, the trial court had observed that the VAC had failed to establish the nexus between the accused and the allegations. The acquittal has set a precedent for those accused of corruption in Tamil Nadu, particularly former Ministers, who may now feel emboldened to contest elections without fear of persecution..

The case has also highlighted the need for more robust and efficient investigation mechanisms, particularly in high-profile cases involving former Ministers and bureaucrats. The decision has sent shockwaves through the state’s political circles, with the DMK and its allies welcoming the outcome, while opposition parties have condemned it as a miscarriage of justice. The acquittal of Geetha Jeevan has once again raised questions about the lack of accountability and transparency in Tamil Nadu’s governance structure..