Chennai:
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa will have to show up again in a Bangalore court which is handling a case of alleged corruption against her.
The Supreme Court today turned down the latest in a series of appeals from Jayalalithaa asking for exemption from appearing in that court, located in a Bangalore prison. "We cannot set a wrong precedent," said the Supreme Court judges, explaining their decision.
The trial court had asked her to be present on November 8; that date can be changed to suit the Chief Minister, said the Supreme Court today.
Jayalalithaa was forced to attend two days of court hearings in Bangalore last month, after the Supreme Court over-ruled her concerns about her security. 1500 policemen, National Security Guard commandos and a convoy of 20 cars escorted the Chief Minister along a 60-km route from the HAL airport to Bangalore's Central Prison.
The trial court has framed 1,339 questions in the case for Jayalalithaa. She had replied to 567 questions on her last appearances before the court on October 20 and 21.
The Supreme Court judges have said that the Bangalore court must finish its questioning of the chief minister at her next appearance.
The case against her accuses her of abusing her earlier term in office from 1991-96 to collect wealth that cannot be accounted for. The case was moved from Chennai to Bangalore in 2003 at the request of the DMK, the main opposition party in Tamil Nadu. It had alleged that a free and fair trial would not be possible in the Chief Minister's home state.
Asking to be excused from the hearing scheduled for Tuesday, November 8, Jayalalithaa had said that she did not want to inconvenience the people of Bangalore once again. She had asked for permission to answer questions from the judge in writing.
The Supreme Court today turned down the latest in a series of appeals from Jayalalithaa asking for exemption from appearing in that court, located in a Bangalore prison. "We cannot set a wrong precedent," said the Supreme Court judges, explaining their decision.
The trial court had asked her to be present on November 8; that date can be changed to suit the Chief Minister, said the Supreme Court today.
Jayalalithaa was forced to attend two days of court hearings in Bangalore last month, after the Supreme Court over-ruled her concerns about her security. 1500 policemen, National Security Guard commandos and a convoy of 20 cars escorted the Chief Minister along a 60-km route from the HAL airport to Bangalore's Central Prison.
The trial court has framed 1,339 questions in the case for Jayalalithaa. She had replied to 567 questions on her last appearances before the court on October 20 and 21.
The Supreme Court judges have said that the Bangalore court must finish its questioning of the chief minister at her next appearance.
The case against her accuses her of abusing her earlier term in office from 1991-96 to collect wealth that cannot be accounted for. The case was moved from Chennai to Bangalore in 2003 at the request of the DMK, the main opposition party in Tamil Nadu. It had alleged that a free and fair trial would not be possible in the Chief Minister's home state.
Asking to be excused from the hearing scheduled for Tuesday, November 8, Jayalalithaa had said that she did not want to inconvenience the people of Bangalore once again. She had asked for permission to answer questions from the judge in writing.
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