Chennai: Madras high court has quashed FIR against T.R. Pachamuthu, SRM Medical College Hospital and Research Centre’s chairman and managing director and founder of India Jananayaka Katchi (IJK) party, a BJP ally in the state, as per directions of Supreme Court. He was facing criminal charges relating to medical seat scam.
When the matter came up for hearing before Justice M.S. Ramesh, the judge said that, “in view of the fact that the issue has now been referred back to this court from the Supreme Court, the investigation insofar as T.R. Pachamuthu herein is concerned, is required to be quashed, since all the claimants have given their consent through affidavits.”
“It was the intention of the apex court to have the FIR quashed to enable the claimants to receive their respective claims after due adjudication. In view of the same, it would be expedient to record the disbursements made by the court commissioner and hence, the case needs to be adjourned for the limited purpose of recording the final report of the commissioner,” the judge said.
The matter relates to FIR filed against Pachamuthu in connection with medical seat scam. It was alleged that 136 medical course aspirants failed to get admission in SRM medical college after paying hefty sum.
After several rounds of litigation, Madras high court on September 6, 2017, appointed Justice N. Paul Vasanthakumar, the former Chief Justice of Jammu & Kashmir High Court, as a commissioner for disbursing the amounts to the claimants as indicated by investigating officer dated April 3, 2017.
In his petition T.R.Pachamuthu had averred that the police had registered case against him since Vendhar Movies Madhan had duped the medical aspirants promising MBBS seats in SRM Medical College.
He was included in the case unnecessarily and as the reputation of the institution was at stake, he came forward to pay the amount lost by the victims before the Metropolitan Magistrate Court, Saidapet. At the same time the act of paying back the money cannot be considered as admitting to the charges, Mr Pachamuthu contended.
