Villupuram court acquits former Minister Ponmudy, six others in red sand quarrying case

The Villupuram Principal District and Sessions Court, on Thursday (April 2, 2026), acquitted former Minister and DMK leader K. Ponmudy, his son Gowtham Sigamani and five others in the red sand quarrying case.

Principal District and Sessions Judge A. Manimozhi held there was no evidence on record to connect the accused with the alleged commission of the offence. As prosecution had failed to prove its case, he acquitted the seven.

The case relates to the illegal quarrying of red sand in Villupuram when Mr. Ponmudy served as the Minister for Mines and Minerals between 2007 and 2011. He was booked in connection with the allotment of a red sand quarry at Poothurai village in Vanur block to his son Gowtham Sigamani and five others.

The case of the prosecution was that the lessees had indulged in gross violation of rules governing minor minerals. After surveying the quarry in September 2012, the then Vanur Tahsildar filed a complaint with the DCB alleging that the lessees had reportedly excavated beyond permissible limits, thereby illegally prospecting 2,46,646 units of red sand, causing a loss of ₹28.37 crore to the exchequer.

The prosecution had invoked provisions of the Tamil Nadu Minor Minerals Concession Act and Prevention of Corruption Act, besides sections pertaining to criminal intimidation, conspiracy, and cheating under the Indian Penal Code.