The Madras High Court has reserved its orders on a petition seeking to condone a delay of 839 days in filing a third-party appeal against the acquittal of former DMK minister P Geetha Jeevan and her family members in a disproportionate assets case.
Background of the Case
The petitioner, advocate S Shanmugasundaram, explained that he was waiting for the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) to file an appeal against the 2022 acquittal. He decided to file the appeal himself after DVAC failed to act, especially since Geetha Jeevan was a minister at the time.
Justice G K Ilanthiraiyan recorded the submission and reserved orders on the petition seeking condonation of the delay.
Acquittal in 2022
In December 2022, the Tuticorin district principal and sessions court acquitted Geetha Jeevan, her brother and former Tuticorin mayor N Jegan Periyasamy, and three other family members in a disproportionate assets case filed in 2001.
The case was originally filed against six individuals: former Tuticorin MLA and DMK district secretary N Periyasamy, his wife Ebenezer, daughter Geetha Jeevan, her husband Jeevan Jacob, and Periyasamy's sons N P Jegan and N P Raja. The AIADMK government accused them of amassing wealth worth ₹2.31 crore during the DMK government between 1996 and 2001, disproportionate to their known sources of income.
Charges and Investigation
During that period, N Periyasamy was an MLA, and Geetha Jeevan served as the Tuticorin district panchayat chairperson. The DVAC registered an FIR in 2001 and filed a charge sheet in 2003.
The court's decision on the delay condonation plea will determine whether the appeal against the acquittal can proceed.
