In what could be a major relief to the AIADMK , the Madras High Court on Tuesday quashed a case of “abetment to suicide and corruption”
filed by the CB-CID wing of the Tamil Nadu Police against SS Krishnamoorthy, a former Minister in the Jayalalithaa’s Cabinet.
The case related to the suicide by S Muthukumarasamy, an assistant executive engineer of the agricultural department , who jumped before a speeding train on February 20 last year.
According to the CB-CID, Muthukumarasamy (57) took the extreme step as he was unable to bear the mental pressure exerted on him by his superiors to pay `12.25 lakh to Krishnamoorthy, the then Agriculture Minister, for appointment of seven drivers in the department.
It had charged Krishnamoorthy with entering into a criminal conspiracy with some officials to collect a bribe of `1.75 lakh each for the appointment of 191 temporary drivers in the department.
Justice V S Ravi of Madurai bench quashed the case on the ground that there was no direct evidence to suggest that Krishnamoorthy had demanded bribe money from the official, who allegedly committed suicide as he was unable to bear the ‘pressure’ to pay up the amount.
The judge passed the order on a petition by Krishnamoorthy seeking quashing of the case, investigated by CB-CID and pending in a court in Tirunelveli. Krishnamoorthy had submitted that the case had been filed based on “surmises and conjectures”.
Vinod Sethuram, younger son of Muthumkumarasamy, had told The Pioneer immediately after the latter’s suicide that his father was under severe pressure “from a higher up” asking him for appointing as drivers persons shortlisted by the Minister. Even on the fateful evening of February 20, there was a phone call to Muthukumarasamy
from Senthil, the former’s superior officer. Though Krishnamoorthy was dropped from the cabinet and was expelled from the AIADMK, the Opposition had made the issue as a serious charge against the AIADMK Government.