The judge, V Radhakrishnan, acquitted them on the ground that the prosecution had failed to prove the charge of obtaining pecuniary gains to the tune of Rs 23.82 lakh in the purchase of crash tenders.

Hariharane, a senior IPS officer of the rank of Additional Director General of Police, was arrested in connection with this case in 1997 and later released on bail.

He was chargesheeted under the provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act along with Y Mohammed Ziauddin, managing partner of Nizarsz and Co, on December 24, 1997.

This is the first final judgment delivered by any of the three special courts established by the present DMK regime in 1997 to try corruption charges against public servants.