Chennai: The Madras High Court Monday dismissed a petition filed by a voter from Perambur seeking a probe into the financial disclosures made by Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief C. Joseph Vijay in his nomination for the Tamil Nadu assembly elections.
A detailed order is expected by the end of the day with reasons for the dismissal of the latest petition. The court also dismissed two other writ petitions that sought an inquiry into the assets of the actor-turned-politician. The other petitions were filed by All-India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) candidates D. Jayakumar and C. Ve. Shanmugam.
The division bench, comprising Chief Justice Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari and Justice G. Arul Murugan, ruled that the plea by M. P. Venkatesh, a voter from Perambur constituency, cannot be entertained as the court had already issued notice in a similar petition earlier. The bench observed that they have already taken a decision on a similar petition and are not inclined to hear the petition.
Perambur is the seat for which Vijay is in the contest. The petitioner highlighted Vijay’s declaration in the election affidavit that he had extended a loan of Rs 12.60 crore to his wife, Sangeetha Vijay.
Venkatesh argued that the disclosure raised suspicion because Sangeetha had reportedly filed for divorce on 24 February this year, questioning the genuineness and purpose of the transaction amid the ongoing marital dispute. He had further stated in his plea that election affidavits are not mere formalities, and any suppression of facts would amount to misleading the electoral process.
The petitioner had also flagged the declaration of Rs 20 crore provided to the Kokilambal Education Trust (a private educational trust), claiming that no proper explanation had been given for the transfer. He alleged a pattern of discrepancies, including contradictory disclosures, such as extending large loans while declaring zero liabilities.
Vijay’s asset declaration has faced legal scrutiny before. An earlier petition had already sought an income tax probe into alleged discrepancies in his financial disclosures. V. Vignesh had alleged discrepancies in the affidavit, pointing out that there was a difference of around Rs 100 crore in the assets declared by TVK Chief Vijay in the affidavits filed from Perambur and Tiruchy-East constituencies.
Vignesh had pointed out that the mismatch in the affidavits raised suspicions of material discrepancies as they were inconsistent with the statutory records, and indicative of deliberate and systematic suppression of material financial information.
Citing the earlier case, the court declined to entertain the matter afresh, noting that a similar writ petition had already been taken up. In that case, the bench had directed notices to the Directorate of Income Tax and the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, with the matter posted for further hearing in June.
TVK chief Vijay has not reacted to the court proceedings and dismissal of the plea so far.
(Edited by Nardeep Singh Dahiya)
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