DA case: SC reserves verdict on appeals against Jaya

The Supreme Court on Tuesday reserved its verdict on a batch of appeals filed by Karnataka government and others against the High Court order acquitting Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa and others in a disproportionate assets case.

A vacation bench comprising justices P C Ghose and Amitava Roy, which has been hearing the appeals of the state government and DMK leader K Anbazhagan against the acquittal, concluded hearing arguments. 

Senior advocate Siddharth Luthra, appearing for Karnataka government, dealt with the alleged roles of six firms and the evidence regarding assets and funds held by each of them.

The firms, which found mention in the trial court records, are Lex Property Development, Meadow Agro Farms Ltd, Riverway Agro Products Pvt Ltd, Ramraj Agro Mills Ltd, Signora Business Enterprises Pvt Ltd and Indo Doha Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals Pvt Ltd.

"The issue of the matter is that these companies were purchased (takeover of shareholding) by introduction of the accused persons (other than A-1 Jayalalithaa) as directors and removal of existing directors. The control of these companies were taken by the accused persons, after which bank accounts were opened and as large amount of cash was deposited into these accounts," the written note submitted by Luthra said. The note also gave a chart showing cash flow and purchase of property.

Dealing with the role of the firms, Luthra claimed that "in essence these companies were used as receptacles of ill- gotten cash for which no explanation was given during investigation nor during the trial. Such cash becomes the basis for large scale properties being purchased where all negotiations were done at the house of A1 (irrespective of where the property situated in Tamil Nadu)." 

Raking up the issue of fishermen, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa has said the situation at sea remains “precarious” due to “offensive acts” of the Sri Lankan Navy despite repeated appeals to the Centre to ensure safety of Indian fishermen. In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Jayalalithaa referred to the arrest of four Indian fishermen who had ventured from Rameswaram, on June 5 and pointed out that this was the third such incident since May 31.