Jaya case: K'taka govt should appeal in SC, says public prosecutor

Special Public Prosecutor B V Acharya has advised the Karnataka government to file an appeal in the Supreme Court against acquittal of former Tamil Nadu chief minister Jayalalithaa and three others in the disproportionate assets case, saying it was a "fit case" to do so.

"As per rules, I have to submit my opinion. I have done it. I have said it is a fit case for appealing in the SC," Acharya told PTI.

Asked if the ball is now in the government's court, he said, "Yes."

Jayalalithaa was on May 11 acquitted by the Karnataka high court in the disproportionate assets case that came as a huge relief to the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam chief, clearing the decks for her political comeback and return to the chief minister's post.

After the verdict, Acharya had said that prosecution case had been "seriously prejudiced" in the case as the state of Karnataka and SPP appointed by it were denied an opportunity to convince the high court through oral arguments.

Acharya, who was re-appointed SPP by the Karnataka government after the Supreme Court held as bad in law the appointment of Bhavani Singh to the post by the Tamil Nadu government, had submitted written submissions seeking rejection of Jayalalithaa's appeal. He had also said that the high court verdict acquitting the former chief minister had "glaring arithmetical error" relating to her disproportionate assets.

Maintaining that his government has got nothing to do with the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam or AIADMK, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had on Wednesday said it would take a "legal decision" on filing an appeal in the Supreme Court.

Karnataka is the sole prosecuting agency in the 19-year-old disproportionate assets case.

The Karnataka high court's judgement came on appeals by Jayalalithaa and her close aide Sasikala Natarajan and two of latter's relatives against the judgement of the Special Court Judge John Michael D'Cunha.

The special court had on September 27 last year held Jayalalithaa and three others guilty of corruption and awarded four years jail term, due to which she attracted disqualification as an MLA.

The judge had also slapped a fine of Rs 100 crore on her and Rs 10 crore each on three other convicts.

Image: Former Tamil Nadu chief minister Jayalalithaa