Minister resigns after court sentences him to 3 years in jail

Hours after he was sentenced to three years rigorous imprisonment by a special court here in a two-decades old riot case, Tamil Nadu minister P Balakrishna Reddy Monday resigned from the K Palaniswami-cabinet.

The case related to a protest against illicit liquor at Hosur in 1998.

Reddy submitted his resignation to chief minister K Palaniswami who forwarded it to Governor Banwarilal Purohit who has accepted it.

His portfolio of Youth Welfare and Sports Development has been handed over to School Education minister K A Sengottaiyan.

"..Governor of Tamil Nadu has accepted the resignation of P Balakrishna Reddy, from the Council of Ministers," a Raj Bhavan release said Monday night.

"Based on the recommendation of the Chief Minister, the Portfolio of Youth Welfare and Sports Development has been allocated to K A Sengottaiyan, Minister for School Education who shall be re-designated as Minister for School Education, Youth Welfare and Sports Development," the release said.

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