CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has issued notice to the state on the petitions seeking orders to appoint special public prosecutors to conduct the trial of the disproportionate asset (DA) cases against Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu and Revenue Minister KKSSR Ramachandran at the principal district and sessions court in Srivilliputhur in Virudhnagar district in order to ensure transparency and a fair trial.
The first bench of Acting Chief Justice D Krishnakumar and Justice PB Balaji on Wednesday directed the state to file reply to the petition by four weeks.
The petitions were filed by V Senthilkumar of Chennai, a practising advocate. He has also sought the high court to monitor the trial proceedings.
Recalling that state public prosecutor Hasan Mohamed Jinnah has represented the ministers in the trial court on earlier occasions, the petitioner stated great prejudice would be caused to the judicial system if Jinnah is permitted to supervise the prosecution in his capacity as director of prosecution (in-charge).
He further stated it would not be fair to have any public prosecutors of the trial court to conduct the case on behalf of the state, because the prosecutor and the investigation officer (IO) will be influenced by the state authorities since the two accused in the cases are the ministers.
Saying the public prosecutors and the ministers, facing the cases, are from the same party, he wanted the court to order appointment of an independent special public prosecutor and the court to monitor the entire proceedings of trial.
Justice N Anand Venkatesh had initiated suo motu revision of the trial court orders discharging the two ministers and their family members from the DA cases and ordered revival of the cases and directed the trial court to frame charges and fast-track the trial.