Jayalalithaa case deferred after SC judge opts out

With one of the judges recusing, the Supreme Court on Thursday deferred till Friday, hearing on Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa's plea challenging the Bangalore trial court's order to appear before it again on November 8 in the disproportionate assets case.

A three judge bench headed by Dalveer Bhandari adjourned the hearing till Friday after Justice T S Thakur opted out of the matter without citing any reason. The bench which also included Justice Dipak Mishra then adjourned the matter till Friday.

Challenging the trial judge's order, the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam chief submitted in her petition that as per the apex court's direction she had already appeared before the court on October 20 and 21 and she cannot be summoned again.

Jayalalithaa pleaded that as per the apex court's order she was supposed to personally appear before the trial court only once and she cannot be forced to appear before it again.

The trial of the disproportionate assets case, allegedly involving accumulation of assets worth over Rs 66 crore by Jayalalithaa between 1991 and 1996 is being held in a Bangalore court.

The DA case proceedings were shifted out of Tamil Nadu by the apex court after she feared she might be denied a fair trial in Tamil Nadu due to state's erstwhile Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam government, which she had accused of implicating her in false cases.

The trial court had on October 21 directed her to appear again on November 8, saying that her questioning remained inconclusive. During two days of hearing on October 20 and 21, she had answered 567 questions.