Chennai/Bangalore:
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, J Jayalalithaa is set to appear in a trial court in Bangalore today in connection with the disproportionate assets case. Jayalalithaa's appearance in a court has demanded huge security set up by the Bangalore Police.
A special court will hear the case in which the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister is accused No. 1. Incidentally, the court is located right opposite the jail where former chief minister of Karnataka BS Yeddyurappa has been lodged.
The case dates back to 1996 when the DMK government, then in power,
suo motu filed a disproportionate assets case against Jayalalithaa. It was based on the complaints by the DMK's K Anbazhagan and Janata Party President Subramanian Swamy (Swamy had given a petition to the then Tamil Nadu Governor).
Tamil Nadu government alleged that Jayalalithaa amassed Rs 66.6 crore, which was disproportionate to her known sources of income.
The assets named in the case include farm houses and bungalows in Chennai and its suburbs, vast tracts of agricultural land in many parts the state, farm house in Hyderabad, tea estate in Nilgiris, jewellery, industrial sheds, cash in bank accounts and investments.
Apart from Jayalalithaa, her close aide Sasikala, Sasikala's nephew V Sudhakaran and her sister-in-law Ilavarasi have also been named in the case.
After the elections in 2001, AIADMK returned to power. The DMK moved Supreme Court asking the case to be transferred from Tamil Nadu alleging witnesses were turning hostile as Jayalalithaa's party was in power. In 2003, the case was transferred from Chennai to Bangalore.
A trial also granted permission to Jayalalithaa to be exempt from personal appearance to enable her to campaign for a by-election.
At least 250 witnesses have appeared before the court in connection with the case till now.
In 2006, Jayalalithaa lost the election and the DMK returned to power. In Assembly elections held in May this year, AIADMK trounced the DMK and Jayalalithaa again took oath as the Chief Minister - for the fourth time.
In August this year, Jayalalithaa files a plea in the Bangalore trial court asking permission to skip personal appearance for recording of her statement. She offered to produce written explanation or appear via video conference. But the court refused to grant her any such exemption.
Then, in September this year, the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister approached the Supreme Court citing security reasons. But the court rejected the plea after Karnataka's Chief Secretary and its Director General of Police filed affidavits on October 19, assuring the court of fool proof security measures in tune with her Z-plus status and NSG cover.
So far, Jayalalithaa has obtained around 150 adjournments in this case, which the DMK says were a ploy to delay the case and to skip personal appearances in court. AIADMK sources say this case is nothing but political vendetta by the DMK. Many say Amma has come in clean in 12 of the 13 cases foisted by the DMK and that she would come clean in this too.