Jaya's assets overvalued by DMK govt-led probe, counsel

The DMK government-led investigation had deliberately over-valued the assets of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa and three others in the disproportionate assets case, her counsel told the Karnataka High Court today.
The submissions were made by L Nageswara Rao, counsel for Jayalalithaa, before Justice C R Kumaraswamy who is hearing on a day-to-day basis appeals filed by the AIADMK supremo and three others challenging their conviction in the case.
Jayalalithaa and three others were convicted under Section 13(1)(e) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 which defines the offence of criminal misconduct by a public servant.
The special bench has been set up at the direction of the Supreme Court on December 18 to decide Jayalalithaa's plea in three months.

Rao submitted that the trial court cited the clean chit given by the Income Tax Tribunal but did not consider it while giving the verdict, sentencing Jayalalithaa and three others to four year jail term and imposing a hefty fine of Rs 100 crore on her.
Justice Kumaraswamy adjourned the case to January 19 for next hearing.
A Supreme Court bench, headed by Chief Justice H L Dattu, had granted conditional bail to Jayalalithaa who was sent to jail by a trial court on September 27, saying that hearing on her appeal against conviction in the High Court should be completed in three months from December 18.

Meanwhile, Justice Abdul Nazir in the Karnataka High Court today referred back the petition filed by DMK's K Anbazhagan, seeking discontinuation of Bhavani Singh as SPP, to the Special Bench hearing appeals filed by Jayalalithaa and the others challenging their conviction.