Chennai, Jan 12 (IANS): The Madras High Court on Friday rejected former Minister in AIADMK government P. Balakrishna Reddy's plea to suspend his three-year imprisonment sentence in a 1998 rioting case.

Hearing Reddy's plea, the court dismissed his petition to suspend the sentence.

On Jan 7, a special court sentenced Reddy to three three years' imprisonment for damaging buses with stones in 1998. At that time, Reddy was with the BJP and later joined AIADMK.

Following the conviction, Reddy, the Minister for Youth Welfare and Sports Development, submitted his resignation from the ministry and it was accepted.

The court, hearing cases against MPs and MLAs, also fined Reddy Rs 10,000.

The court convicted 16 persons out of 108 accused.

Elected from Hosur, Reddy was part of a protest against illict liquor in 1998 near his constituency. The protest turned violent resulting in stone pelting on buses.

Meanwhile, on a petition, the judge suspended the sentence allowing Reddy to appeal in the Madras High Court.