Meeran has earned the dubious distinction of being the first former Minister in the history of Tamil Nadu to be convicted under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

The Special Court was constituted by the DMK Government to try cases of corruption against former chief minister J Jayalalitha, her erstwhile cabinet colleagues and bureaucrats on the basis of what the ruling DMK considered the people's mandate in the 1996 general elections for action against corruption during AIADMK rule.

The Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) tasted its first success on Thursday with the conviction of former tourism minister Meeran and his wife.

Special Judge I S Sambandam also imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 each failing which the accusedwill have to undergo RI for an additional three months. He, however, suspended execution of the sentence till January 27, 2000, at the request of defence counsel Sudhanthiram to enable the accused to go on appeal. They executed a bond for Rs 25,000 each without surety.

In his 64-page judgment, Sambandam held that ``the charges against the accused have been proved beyond reasonable doubt.'' While Meeran as a former public servant was found guilty under various sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act, his wife was charged with abetting him, which is an offence under the Indian Penal Code.

The case was taken on file, after the DVAC filed a chargesheet in the Special Court-I in October 1998 alleging that Meeran had between February 1, 1992 and June 30, 1996, purchased several movable and immovable properties in the name of his wife Jameela and minor son Syed Al Mubarak. Most of these were purchased during his 15-month tenure as tourism minister.

The investigating agency submitted that as on February 1,1992 the total wealth of Meeran, hailing from Vadakarai in Tirunelveli district, was a mere Rs 26,990. However, on June 30, 1996 the value of the properties owned by him and his family members was Rs 43,56,343.