CHENNAI: R Shunmugasundaram on Saturday was appointed as the Advocate General of the state by the state government. The former DMK Rajya Sabha MP and also a designated senior advocate has served as the state public prosecutor from 1996 to 2001.
According to the government order released from the governor's office, R Shunmugasundram has been appointed as the advocate general.
On May 1, a day before the declaration of election results, former Advocate General Vijay Narayan had resigned from the post, which he sent to the former chief minister.
According to court officials, Shanmugasundaram's first appearance as Tamil Nadu's Advocate General will be on Monday before a bench of Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy, which is expected to hear the suo motu case on the Covid-19 management in the state.
Shunmugasundaram has successfully prosecuted former Chief Minister, Ministers and high ranking public officials in cases of bribery and corruption and for their criminal misconduct. One of his notable achievements includes representing the state before Justice MC Jain Commission of Inquiry to assist the enquiry into the assassination of former Prime Minister, late Shri Rajiv Gandhi and as an "amicus curiae" by the Madras High Court to assist the Court relating to London Hotel Case, considering the public importance and its sensitive nature.
R Shunmughasundaram enrolled as an advocate in the year 1977. He also gained experience in criminal law from his father, Late S Rajagopal, a leading Advocate and former Public Prosecutor, Madurai. R Shunmughasundaram was also appointed as Additional Public Prosecutor of the Madras High Court, and worked during 1989-91, conducting prosecutions on behalf of the State, the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Railways.