Former DMK health minister M Subramanian and his wife Kanchana are to face trial as a special court in Chennai framed charges in a case relating to the alleged transfer of government-owned SIDCO land using fraudulent documents. A special court designated to hear cases against MPs and MLAs on August 8 framed charges in the case.
BREAKING: Formal charges framed against former DMK Minister Ma. Subramanian and his wife over alleged SIDCO land grabbing using forged documents! pic.twitter.com/F4RphNRydE
— George (@georgeviews) August 8, 2026
With the change of government in Tamil Nadu, corruption and other cases against DMK functionaries, ministers and others are now under trial.
The issue stems from a complaint filed case in Madras High Court by S Parthiban of Saidapet, who accused Subramanian of creating fake documents and transferring a housing plot in Labour Colony, Guindy, to his wife’s name. While serving as Mayor of Chennai Corporation, the petitioner said, Subramanian misused his official position to facilitate the transfer of a piece of land allotted to SK Kannan at Labour Colony in Guindy to the name of his wife through fraudulent documents.
Initially, the case was registered at the Guindy police station on June 3 against him under provisions of cheating, criminal conspiracy and offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act, and was transferred to the CBCID. In November 2019, it filed a chargesheet against DMK MLA Ma Subramanian from Saidapet constituency for allegedly forging documents and land grabbing.
The framing of charges had been earlier deferred as Subramanian moved the Madras High Court challenging the proceedings, which was dismissed in May last year. When the matter came up for framing charges before Special Judge C Sanjay Baba, both Subramanian and his wife Kanchana appeared before the court in person. The special judge read out the charges against them. With the framing of charges, the trial will commence. The court posted the matter to August 31 for commencement of the examination of witnesses. Subramanian and his wife denied the allegations and said the charges against them were completely false.
A bench of Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and Aravind Kumar of the Supreme Court in July 2025 reserved its verdict on an appeal filed by Tamil Nadu Health Minister Ma Subramanian and his wife, challenging a Madras High Court order that refused to quash a chargesheet against them in a land grab case. The appeal was filed against the High Court’s March 28 order refusing to quash the 2019 chargesheet, and directing the commencement of trial. The bench heard arguments on whether formal sanction is required to prosecute a public servant for actions from a past post (as Mayor) when he holds a current office (as Minister) that is unrelated to the crime. As of mid-2026, the final verdict in the matter remains pending. It is treated as a pending reference/undelivered verdict. While the appeal regarding the necessity of prosecution sanction remains under review, the Special Court for MPs/MLAs proceeded to formally frame charges against Subramanian and his wife, after previous stay extensions ended. It paves the way for the trial to begin.
