​The Madras High Court has overturned the discharge of Tamil Nadu Rural Development Minister I Periyasamy in a ₹2.1 crore disproportionate assets case, directing that he and his family face trial.

On April 28, 2025, Justice P Velmurugan set aside the 2016 order by the Special Court in Dindigul that had discharged Periyasamy, his wife P Suseela, and sons P Senthilkumar (a sitting MLA) and P Prabhu. The Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) had filed criminal revision petitions in 2018 challenging the discharge.

The DVAC alleged that between 2006 and 2010, when Periyasamy served as Revenue Minister under the DMK government, he and his family amassed assets worth ₹2.1 crore disproportionate to their known sources of income. The High Court found merit in the DVAC’s arguments, stating that the Special Court had erred by not framing charges and by prematurely discharging the accused without allowing the prosecution to present its case.

Justice Velmurugan directed the Special Court to frame charges against the accused and conduct the trial on a day-to-day basis, completing it within six months.

This development marks the third instance where the Madras High Court has reversed the discharge of a Tamil Nadu minister in a disproportionate assets case, following similar decisions involving Ministers Durai Murugan and MRK Panneerselvam.

Sources