CHENNAI, March 31: V Radhakrishnan, Judge, Special Court-II, dismissed a petition from former Commercial Taxes Minister V Sathiamurthy, and six of his relatives, seeking to discharge them from the Rs 83.32 lakh disproportionate wealth case, and posted the matter for framing of charges to April 7. ``The main accused (Sathiamurthy) could not satisfactorily render accounts for the pecuniary resources, which is a staggering sum of Rs 83.32 lakh. The income and expenditure calculation made by the investigating officers is very reasonable. This is a fit case where charges could be framed against him and others under the Prevention of Corruption Act and the Indian Penal Code,'' the judge observed.The prosecution's case is that during the check period (January 1, 1992 to May 13, 1996), the former minister amassed assets disproportionate to his known sources of income. The other six accused aided him in committing the offence.
The judge said that it was admitted that the accused were closely related to eachother. The investigation officer annexed a report stating that prior to the check period, the value of the properties owned by Sathiamurthy was only Rs 1.65 lakh. As per the materials available, during the check period, Sathiamurthy acquired a large number of properties in his own name and in the names of the other accused.
The Village Administrative Officers (VAO) of his hometown and other places held that the properties owned by the accused prior to the check period had not yielded any substantial income enabling them to purchase the properties. His wife and other relatives also had only a meagre income.
The evidence of the VAOs indicated that a coconut grove was purchased by the former minister at a cost of Rs 15 lakh but nine sale deeds were executed in the names of different persons. An air-conditioned Contessa used by him was purchased in his brother's name.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
