The Madras High Court on Wednesday directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to file its formal response in a disproportionate assets case involving former Union minister and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leader A Raja. The bench granted the central agency two weeks to submit its reply in the matter.

The order was passed by Justice A.D. Jagadish Chandira as Raja’s petition challenged a Special Court’s refusal to compel the CBI to produce key documents that his defence says are critical to ensuring a fair trial. The case dates back to 2015, when the CBI registered a disproportionate assets case against Raja and others, alleging that he had amassed assets worth approximately ₹5.53 crore beyond his known sources of income during the period from October 13, 1999, to October 30, 2010.

The CBI’s chargesheet, filed in 2022, names Raja and several associates, including his counsel and business entities such as Kovai Shelters Promoters India Private Limited and Mangal Tech Park Limited. The agency has alleged that around ₹4.56 crore was routed to Raja through Kovai Shelters, a company linked to a close aide.

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Raja’s lawyer argued that the CBI’s Chennai unit took a contradictory stance compared with the Delhi branch of the agency and that the Special Court erred in refusing to allow the defence access to crucial documents under section 207 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC). The former Union minister contended that this omission would amount to “grave prejudice” in framing charges against him.

The High Court’s order to seek the CBI’s response underscores the ongoing legal contest over procedural fairness and disclosure in high‑profile criminal cases involving politicians. The matter remains pending before the Special Court in Chennai, which handles cases against MPs and MLAs, and Raja’s petition is now set for further hearings once the CBI files its reply.

Legal observers note that this development forms part of the broader judicial scrutiny that disproportionate assets cases often attract in India, particularly when they involve senior political figures and prolonged procedural disputes. The high court’s engagement may shape how courts balance investigative secrecy with the defence’s right to access evidence in complex corruption probes.

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