Seeking to ‘prevent miscarriage of justice’, Madras High Court may have ruling-DMK seeing red. Last month, taking suo moto notice of a lower court’s acquittal of two senior ministers Thangam Thennarasu and KKSSR Ramachandran and their wives in a disproportionate assets’ case (2006-2011), Justice Anand Venkatesh, holding portfolio for MP/MLA cases, exercised revisional powers ‘smelling a rat’.

Quoting Shakespeare’s Hamlet, he said ‘something is very rotten’ in special court for MP/MLA cases at Srivilluputhur. Quantified as: both orders reveal ‘well-orchestrated pattern’; special court took cognisance of final reports in 2013/14; discharge applications filed; cases adjourned for months/years on end till 2021, when ‘political fortunes smiled at main accused’; they were back as ministers; months later state prosecution ‘very magnanimously’ offered to conduct further probe; end product a ‘closure report tailored’ to support grounds for discharge; special court was presented with a ‘perfect fait accompli’ as prosecution whitewashed its earlier final report and presented ‘a picture of complete innocence”! The cases discharged. Given the list of “illegalities”, the revision promises high drama and suspense.