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The Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) Court, (Economic Offence), in Chennai, has adjourned hearing of an Income Tax case against Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa and her close aide Sasikala, to May 19, to decided on a date for both of them to appear before the Court.
The counsel of Jayalalithaa has today filed a petition seeking adjournment of hearing till the Lok Sabha election and counting is over, stating that it is as per the Supreme Court directive.
The counsel also said that the Supreme Court, which has earlier directed the ACMM Court to complete the procedure in four months, on April 25, extended the time for three more months from June 6 to complete the trial.
The Court has fixed the next hearing on May 19, and the next date for the duo to appear before the Court would be announced then. It may be noted that the counting of the Loksabha elections are scheduled on May 16, 2014.
The development comes on a case filed by Income Tax Department against Jayalalithaaa and Sasikala, and a company earlier allegedly run by them, for not filing tax returns for two years, 1991-92 and 1992-93.
According to information available, the Income Tax Department earlier instituted criminal proceedings by filing complaints in 1996 and 1997 against Jayalalithaa and her friend Sasikala Natarajan, for not filing returns in their individual capacity for the assessment year 1993-94. Again in 1997. The Department filed two complaints against Sasi Enterprises and its partners, both, Jayalalaithaa and Sasikala, allegedly failing to file returns for the assessment years 1991-92, 1992-93.
While the Majistrate has ordered personal appearance of Jayalalithaa and Sasikala on April 3, Jayalalithaa skipped the apperance and petitions were filed by their counsel seeking to dispense with personal appearance of Jayalalithaa and Sasikala.
