Jayalalithaa gets relief in disproportionate assets case

In a breather for Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa, the Supreme Court Friday extended the suspension of trial in the disproportionate assets (DA) case against her till June 16.

An apex court bench of Justice J.S. Khehar and Justice C. Nagappan will hold hearing June 16 on Jayalalithaa's plea that trial in the DA case should not proceed till the ownership of the immovable assets shown to be her alleged benami possession was decided as directed by the Madras High Court.

On May 26, 2014, the apex court stayed the trial in DA case involving Rs.66.65 crore relating to the period from 1991 to 1996 against Jayalalithaa and three others.

The court Friday also issued notice on DMK leader K. Anbalagan's plea, seeking vacation of stay so that trial in the DA case against Jayalalithaa and others could go on uninterrupted.

Besides, the court gave a week's time to Tamil Nadu vigilance and anti-corruption department to file their response to Jayalalithaa's plea that trial in the DA case be put on hold till the claims over immovable properties by M/S Lex Property Developer P. Ltd. was decided by a Bangalore special court.

On May 26, the apex court bench of Justice B.S. Chauhan and Justice A.K. Sikri while staying the proceedings of the trial court in respect to DA case, said that civil proceedings relating to claim by M/S Lex Property Developer P. Ltd. on the assets allegedly shown to be benami possessions of Jayalalithaa will go on.

Jayalalithaa moved the apex court challenging the May 20, 2014, order of Karnataka High Court.

Karnataka High Court by the said order rejected her plea seeking direction to the Bangalore based special court, trying DA case, to first decide the claim of M/S Lex Property Developer P. Ltd. over the assets being attributed to her as benami possessions and then take up the DA case against her.

Jayalalithaa plea seeking the determination of claim by M/S Lex Property Developer P. Ltd. is based on April 2 order of the Madras High Court, which directed the special court trying DA case to first decide the petition by M/S Lex Property Developer P. Ltd. staking claim over the properties being shown to be belonging to Jayalalithaa.

The Madras High Court said only after the special court had decided on the M/S Lex Property Developer P. Ltd. plea, that it would proceed with the DA case against Jayalalithaa.

Jayalalithaa's plea before the trial court seeking enforcement of Madras High Court order was opposed by prosecution on the grounds of its jurisdiction.