DMK opposes SPP Bhavani Singh's continuation in Jaya appeal

DMK on Thursday contended before the Karnataka High Court that continuation of Bhavani Singh as Special Public Prosecutor was illegal as the state government has not issued fresh osrders of appointment in the hearing of appeals filed by former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa and three others, challenging their conviction in a disproportionate assets case.

“The continuation of Singh as SPP is illegal and unlawful as Karnataka government has not issued a fresh order of appointment,” DMK General Secretary K Anbazhagan’s counsel C V Nagesh submitted before Justice Abdul Nazir.

Nagesh said Singh was not appointed by the state government as per the Supreme Court guidelines, but by Chennai-based Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC), which is under the control of AIADMK government, whose party’s supreme leader Jayalalithaa was the main accused.

The Karnataka government has to issue a fresh order of appointment as the case is now before the high court after it was concluded in the lower court, Nagesh submitted. DVAC had appointed Singh as SPP only to argue before the special court, not before the special bench of the High Court, and hence he should be removed and replaced by someone else by Karnataka Government through a fresh order, Nagesh contended.

After hearing the submissions made by Nagesh, Justice Anazir posted the matter for next hearing on January 14. Assembling for the fourth day of day-to-day hearing, the Special Bench issued notices to Karnataka Chief Secretary, Secretary of state Law department, Chennai-based DVAC and SPP Singh to file objections to Anbazhagan’s petition seeking permission to intervene as party respondent to assist SPP in the case.