SC to hear Jayalalithaa's plea in DA case

The Supreme Court on Tuesday decided to hear on March 19 AIADMK general secretary J Jayalalithaa's plea seeking quashing of proceedings against her in a 14-year-old disproportionate assets case.

The former Tamil Nadu chief minister has challenged the March 10 order of the Karnataka High Court which held that the trial court order taking congnisance of the complaint on June 5, 1997, did not suffer from any illegality or irregularity.

After a brief hearing during the mention hour, a Bench headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan, accepted the plea of Jayalalithaa's counsel Mukul Rohatgi that the trial court in Karnataka should not go ahead with the proceedings on March 18 for commencing the day-to-day trial.

The Bench asked the prosecution to ensure that the examination of witnesses do not begin on March 18 by informing the trial court that the apex court has listed the AIADMK supremo's appeal for hearing on March 19.

The case was transferred to a Bangalore court by the Supreme Court in 2003 during her chief ministership on a petition by DMK leader K Anbazhagan saying the manner in which the Chennai trial court had proceeded with the cases raised doubts over a free and fair trial.

Assailing the March 10 order of High Court, Jayalalithaa submitted the chargesheet did not make out any case against her.
The petition said the Special Judge, Chennai, had not applied his mind and cognisance of the chargesheet of June 5, 1997, was taken mechanically adding the case was transferred at the instance of her political rival from Tamil Nadu.