Thank God we have judges like Justice Anand Venkatesh: Supreme Court

The Supreme Court on Monday lauded Justice N Anand Venkatesh of the Madras High Court for recalling the transfer and subsequent acquittal of Tamil Nadu Minister K Ponmudi in a corruption case. .The apex Court was hearing a plea by Ponmudi in relation to the order passed by Justice Venkatesh recalling the transfer of the TN Minister's case and his subsequent acquittal.."Thank God we have judges like Justice Anand Venkatesh in our system. Imagine, how does Chief Justice have the power to transfer trial from one district to another? And this (was) involving a sitting minister. Thank God we have judges like him," CJI Chandrachud said. .The case against Ponmudi and his wife was registered by the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) in 2002 when the AIADMK returned to power in the State. The DVAC claimed that the accused persons had amassed illegal assets when Ponmudi was a minister in the DMK government between 1996 and 2001..On August 10 this year, Justice Venkatesh of the Madras High Court took exception to the manner in which the trial against Ponmudi in the case was transferred from a Villupuram district court to Vellore.The transfer was based on the administrative approval granted by three High Court judges, namely then Chief Justice Munishwar Nath Bhandari and Justices T Raja and V Bhavani Subborayan..Justice Venkatesh, however, opined that the transfer in the matter was a "calculated attempt to manipulate and subvert the criminal justice system.".Following the June 7 transfer of the trial, the principal district judge at Vellore, N Vasanthaleela (since retired) had eventually acquitted Ponmudi in the disproportionate assets case against him by an order passed on June 28.In August, Justice Venkatesh, who was the portfolio judge for cases relating to MPs and MLAs, opined that there was something 'seriously amiss' in all of these developments. Therefore, Justice Venkatesh decided to recall Judge Vasanthaleela's order..Justice Venkatesh termed the matter one of the "most damaging cases" he had come across while directing the registry to issue notices to Ponmudi, and his wife and co-accused in the case, P Visalatchi. Notably, the (now retired) trial court judge who acquitted Ponmudi, N Vasanthaleela has also moved a plea before the Supreme Court. Appearing for judicial officer, Senior Advocate (and former Orissa High Court Chief Justice) Dr. S Muralidhar asserted today she has had a "completely unblemished record.".Meanwhile, Justice Venkatesh later went on to exercise suo motu revision powers to restore cases against several other Tamil Nadu Ministers, who were either discharged or acquitted in corruption cases. These included I Periyasamy and All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) leader B Valarmathi.Previously, the judge initiated a suo motu revision case against the discharge of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O Paneerselvam and others in a disproportionate assets case.Similarly, he also took up a revision case against the discharge of Ministers KSSR Ramachandran and Thangam Thennarasu.On September 29, Justice Venkatesh was one of 11 judges transferred to hear cases at the Madurai bench of the High Court. Following this change in the roster, the suo motu revision cases initiated by him are now before Justice G Jayachandran of the High Court.