Fri May 02 14:56:25 UTC 2025: ## Madurai High Court Delivers Split Verdict in Illegal Granite Mining Case

**Madurai, India (May 2, 2025)** – The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has issued a split verdict in a case involving alleged illegal granite mining. The case centers around S. Nagarajan, the second accused in a Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) investigation stemming from a 2012 FIR filed against Olympus Granites for allegedly causing ₹256.44 crore in losses to the state exchequer through illegal granite quarrying.

Justice R. Poornima dismissed Nagarajan’s petition to be discharged from the case, stating that sufficient prima facie evidence existed to proceed with the charges. The court asserted that at the charges framing stage, a detailed examination of evidence isn’t necessary; only a reasonable connection between the accused and the crime needs to be established.

However, Justice G.R. Swaminathan disagreed, noting a lack of demonstration of a prima facie case against Nagarajan. He emphasized the seriousness of PMLA prosecutions and the need for the prosecution to establish foundational facts demonstrating money laundering. He found the trial court’s dismissal of the discharge petition lacked sufficient reasoning and remitted the matter for fresh orders.

Due to the split verdict, the case will now be referred to the Chief Justice to appoint a third judge to resolve the discrepancy.

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