CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Tuesday set aside the two-year conviction on former minister TM Selvaganapathy in the alleged cremation shed scam case.

Justice G Jayachandran pronounced the final orders in the appeal filed by the former minister and others challenging the CBI court’s verdict.

In 1997, the anti-corruption wing of CBI registered the case against Selvaganapathy and others alleging guilty of offences of causing a pecuniary loss to the government to the tune of Rs 23 lakh.

According to CBI, during 1995-96 when Selvaganapathy held the Ministry of Local Administration and Rural Development in exCM Jayalalithaa’s cabinet, caused the offence.

Instead of awarding the contract to coop societies for constructing 100 cremation sheds for Adi Dravidars in Nagapattinam under Jawahar Rojgar Yojana Scheme, it was entrusted to a private firm and funds were also sanctioned. However, the decision to construct 100 cremation sheds was also not properly accomplished and looted public money to the tune of Rs. 23 lakh, alleged the CBI.

The special court for CBI cases, Chennai in 2014 found the accused including Selvaganapathy guilty and imposed conviction when he was a DMK member in Rajya Sabha.