Just because some big lawyers come and argue...: Supreme Court comes down on Madras High Court in SP Velumani case

The Supreme Court on Monday made stern oral observations on the proceedings before the Madras High Court in the corruption case against former Tamil Nadu Minister SP Velumani. (DVAC v. SP Velumani and ors).A Bench of Justices Ajay Rastogi and BV Nagarathna said it has a lot to say in the matter but would await its disposal before the High Court, which will next hear the case on Monday. "What kind of orders are being passed? We certainly have a lot to say. No application of mind, just because some big lawyers come and argue...Procedures followed speaks a lot about the High Court," Justice Rastogi remarked. .The apex court will hear the matter next on September 14, with the outcome of the High Court's proceedings to be subject to the present plea before the top court. Notably, Chief Justice MN Bhandari, who is presiding over the case before the High Court, retires on September 13..The Bench was hearing a plea by the Tamil Nadu Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) challenging a Madras High Court order dismissing its objection to listing the quashing petition of Velumani in connection with a corruption case..The matter came to be listed on Friday before a Bench headed by Justice Rastogi after it was mentioned on Thursday before a Bench led by Chief Justice UU Lalit by Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal for the State.When the matter came up on Friday, Senior Advocate Sidharth Luthra appeared for the respondents..On Wednesday, the High Court had refused to restrain Additional Solicitor General (ASG) SV Raju from representing Velumani in the case even as the Tamil Nadu government had raised strong objection to the same.A Bench of Chief Justice Bhandari and Justice N Mala had observed that as long as ASG Raju had the Union government's permission to represent Velumani, it could not restrain him from appearing in the matter.In the previous hearing, objection had also been raised to the Chief Justice's Bench hearing the quashing pleas filed by Velumani. The matter should instead be assigned to a special bench dealing with cases against MP and MLAs, Advocate General R Shunmugasundaram had argued..Former minister Velumani sought quashing of two FIRs registered against him by the DVAC in Chennai and Coimbatore last year.In 2019, following a plea alleging corruption in the award of corporation tenders by the Greater Chennai and Coimbatore civic bodies, and Velumani's involvement in the same during the AIADMK regime, the High Court had appointed Superintendent of Police R Ponni to probe the complaints and find out whether any cognisable offence was made out.The officer gave a clean chit to the former minister in December 2019 and in January 2020, the then government accepted the preliminary inquiry report. However, after a change of rule in Tamil Nadu, in May 2021, the DVAC registered two FIRs against Velumani. He subsequently approached the High Court seeking quashing of the same..[Read order]