Chennai: In a big relief to AIADMK (Amma) deputy general secretary TTV Dhinakaran the Madras high court has stayed proceedings against him by a trial court in Egmore in connection with 2 decades old Fera cases filed by Enforcement Directorate. In the petition, Dhinak-aran alleged that the Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (Economic Offences-I) court did not hear his counsel before framing charges against him in the case on April 19.
Staying the case till July 17, Justice M. S. Ramesh said “on the face of the records, reasonable opportunities have not been extended to Dhinakaran during the course of the hearing. The judge ordered notice to authorities returnable by July 17. There shall be an order of interim stay of all further proceedings in the case on the file of the Additional chief metropolitan magistrate (EO-I), Egmore till then and adjourned the matter to July 17,” the judge said.
The prosecution, in the chargesheet, alleged that Dhinakaran, director of M/s Dipper Investments Limited Company incorporated in the British Virgin Islands, transferred 1 crore US dollars without RBI permission. ED stated that the company maintained a bank account with Barclays Bank Sutton, Surrey, the UK, and in 1994 about 21 cheques, totalling the value of US dollars 1,04,93,313 were deposited in the account of M/s Dipper Investments in the Barclays Bank. The huge amount was transferred without general or special permission of the RBI. A total of six charges was framed against him for violation of various sections of Fera.
Dhinakaran said, “The order of the magistrate was in grave violation of not just procedures under the CrPC, but also violative of the principles of natural justice.” Had he been given an opportunity, we would have pointed out grave errors in the order of framing of charges, he said.
