Madras High Court asks Registry to list plea for criminal case against TVK chief Vijay over income suppression
The Madras High Court recently directed its registry to list a writ petition seeking criminal proceedings against TVK chief Vijay (actor C Joseph Vijay) for alleged income suppression. This order addresses concerns over the registry’s initial refusal to number the petition due to maintainability issues.
Case Background
The petition, filed by M Rajkumar from Chennai last month, stems from a 2015 Income Tax search at Vijay’s premises revealing undisclosed income of Rs 15 crore (related to film ‘Puli’ remuneration). It references Vijay’s sworn statement, assessment proceedings, and a Rs 1.5 crore penalty order upheld by the court on February 6, 2026.
Relief Sought
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Direct Income Tax authorities to prosecute under Income Tax Act provisions like Section 276C (willful evasion).
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Register an FIR under IPC sections including 420 (cheating), 467/470/471 (forgery), and 120B (conspiracy).
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Refer materials to the Enforcement Directorate for a PMLA probe.
On April 8, 2026, Chief Justice Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari and Justice G Arul Murugan ruled the registry must number the petition as “numbered subject to maintainability” and list it before the roster bench. The court emphasized registries cannot block petitions outright; maintainability is for judges to decide.
This development follows TVK’s strong performance in the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, with the case now set for hearing post-summer vacation.
