CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Minister for Youth and Sports Welfare, P Balakrishna Reddy, was convicted and sentenced to three years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 10,500 in the 20-year-old rioting case. The verdict of the special court for MPs and MLAs on Monday resulted in disqualification of Reddy as a member of the State assembly and he subsequently met the Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami at the latter's residence. A senior official confirmed that he submitted his resignation as a state minister and it has been forwarded to the Raj Bhavan.

The minister's disqualification brings the strength of the Tami Nadu Assembly down to 213 and the ruling AIADMK's to 114, excluding the Speaker. Total vacant seats in the assembly have risen to 21.

The case was a 20-year-old one pending in court for two decades and Balakrishna Reddy was the 72th accused among 108 accused. According to the prosecution, the riot took place on August 30, 1998 at Choolaigiri near Bagalur, then in the combined Dharmapuri district.

The main accused Govinda Reddy, along with 150 others, staged a protest demanding action against an illegal arrack selling racket in wake of the death of 33 villagers due to consumption of the arrack. The protest turned violent as the crowd used bottles, chains and sharp objects such as rods against three police personnel causing grievous injuries, argued the public prosecutor Rajendra Gayathri. A police jeep and a bike were set on fire and stones were pelted on five buses.

Governor Banwarilal Purohit accepted the resignation of P Balakrishna Reddy, from the Council of Ministers. Based on the recommendation of CM EPS, the Portfolios of Youth Welfare and Sports Development have been allocated to School Edu Minister KA Sengottaiyan @NewIndianXpress ,

— T Muruganandham (@muruga_TNIE) January 7, 2019

The police booked a total of 108 people on charges of rioting and 81 of them faced the trial. Others either died or absconding. The special court judge J Shanthi convicted 16, including Balakrishna Reddy and the prime accused Govinda Reddy, and acquitted the rest of them.

Balakrishna Reddy and 14 others were convicted under charges of rioting, wrongful restraint and damage to public property. They were awarded three years jail term. However, the court suspended the
operation of the sentence and gave them 30 days time for appeal. Soon after the pronouncement of the verdict in the packed court hall, Balakrishna Reddy and others paid the fine amount. Balakrishna Reddy
left the court premises in his private car.

Govindha Reddy, the prime accused, was awarded 5 years jail term and Rs 37,000 fine. His sentence was not suspended and he alone was arrested and taken to Puzhal Central Prison.

A few advocates, who appeared for Balakrishna Reddy initially argued that the court verdict would not result in his disqualification as the sentence has been suspended. However, Balakrishna Reddy around 4 pm met the chief minister and submitted his resignation. A senior official said his resignation has been sent to Raj Bhavan. It is learnt that the School Education Minister K Sengottaiyan will now be allocated the portfolios of youth welfare and sports development.

Clarifying the legal stance, Justice K Chandru, a retired judge of Madras High Court, said that the suspension of the sentence does not mean stay of the conviction. "The Supreme Court in several cases has
ruled the same and the Governor has the power to dismiss the minister if he is not resigning from the post," he said.

KM Vijayan, senior advocate, said suspension of the sentence does not postpone the disqualification of an MP or an MLA as per the legal position under section 84 of the Representative of People Act.