Supreme Court notice to Jayalalithaa after Karnataka challenged acquittal

Mangalore Today News Network

Tamil Nadu, July 27, 2015: The Supreme Court on Monday issued notice to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on Karnataka’s appeal against her acquittal in the illegal assets case. In its petition challenging the Karnataka High Court acquitting the AIADMK chief in the 18-year-old disproportionate assets case, the Karnataka government has asked for a stay on the order.

In its appeal, running over 4000 pages, the Karnataka government had called the clean chit to the AIADMK supremo "illegal" and "farce". In May this year, the High Court had allowed Jayalalithaa’s appeal challenging the September 27, 2014 order of a trial court in Bengaluru convicting her and sentencing her to four years imprisonment and imposing a fine of Rs 100 crore.

AIADMK’s rival, the DMK, had also filed an appeal challenging the High Court order, but the Karunanidhi-led party did not press for the stay. Jayalalithaa has been given three weeks to reply to the apex court notice while the matter will now be heard after two months.

Shortly after her acquittal, Jayalalithaa was sworn-in as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister for a record fifth term.

In September last year, a Bangalore trial court had convicted the AIADMK chief and the three others of four years in jail in the 18-year-old case for possessing assets worth over Rs 66 crores disproportionate to Jayalalithaa’s known sources of income during her first tenure as chief minister from 1991 to 1996.

 

Courtesy: Indiatoday