SC rejects plea for deferring verdict in Jayalalithaa case

The Supreme Court Friday rejected a PIL by two advocates seeking the deferment of pronouncement of verdict by the special court in Bangalore in a case of corruption against Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa on the grounds of inadequate security.

Dismissing the PIL as withdrawn, a bench of Justice T.S.Thakur, Justice S.A. Bobde and Justice R. Banumathi said that the petitioners were nobody to seek the deferment of verdict scheduled to be pronounced Saturday in Bangalore.

Dismissing the plea, the court said: "The chief minister can herself apply for protection and security. Anyone who has a problem can approach the court."

As the petitioners sought to impress upon the court that the Karnataka police chief had himself told the registrar of the high court that in the light of the ongoing festivals, it was difficult to make security arrangements, the court said: "You are nobody to make or harbour such pleas for protection and security."

The special court in Bangalore would pronounce its verdict in the disproportionate assets case, valued at Rs.66 crore, that has been going on there since 2010.

Jayalalithaa had repeatedly moved the apex court seeking to put on hold the trial in the case on some grounds or the other.

Besides Jayalalithaa, the Saturday verdict would decide the fate of three other accused - V.K.Sasikala, V.N.Sudhakaran and J. Illavarasi - who too were put on trial in the case.

The case against Jayalalithaa and the others relates to period from 1991 to 1996 and involves a sum of Rs.66.65 crore. The trial was shifted outside Chennai to Bangalore by the apex court in 2003 to ensure free and fair trial.