HARD WEEK FOR JAYA; DA CASE VERDICT ON SEPT 27
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http://www.dailypioneer.com/nation/hard-week-for-jaya-da-case-verdict-on-sept-27.html
Monday, 22 September 2014 | Kumar Chellappan | CHENNAI
TN CM may have to step down from post if convicted
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa has a date with destiny on September 27 when the judge in the special court at Bangalore pronounces verdict in the disproportionate assets case against her.
Implications of an adverse verdict for her personally aside — which may include spending some time in jail — her immediate political future as also long term prospects would be hit if she is held guilty. As per the new Supreme Court ruling in the Representation of Peoples Act, Jayalalithaa would have to quit if convicted till she is absolved of the charges in a higher court.
Which is why, Tamil Nadu awaits for the verdict with bated breath and some nervous tension, palpable in the AIADMK circles even as other political parties watch the developments with deep interest.
The case, filed by Dr Subramanian Swamy in 1997, is that Jayalalithaa, during her tenure as Chief Minister from 1991 to 1996 amassed properties worth `65.86 crore which was disproportionate to her known sources of income. The directorate of vigilance and anti-corruption which probed the case told the court that Jayalalithaa failed to answer the questions on how she amassed this wealth.
The DMK Government which came to power after the 1996 Assembly election got Jayalalithaa arrested in connection with the case and she was jailed for some days. The case against Jayalalithaa was being heard by a Special Court in Chennai. Sasikala Natarajan, her niece Ilavarasi, nephew Sudhakaran are the others listed as accused in the case. The case was delayed for months because of the demand by Sasikala that the chargesheet should be given to her in Tamil as she does not know English.
When Jayalalithaa returned to power in 2001, the DMK raised a lot of objections about the Special Court in Chennai hearing the case. K Anbazhagan, the party general secretary approached the Supreme Court challenging the logic in the case being heard by the special court in Chennai. His contention was that many of the witnesses were turning hostile as Jayalalithaa was the Chief Minister of the State. In 2007 the apex court got the case shifted to a special court in Bangalore.
The court was scheduled to pronounce the verdict on September 20. But Jayalalithaa approached the Bangalore High Court asking for shifting the venue of the court as she enjoyed the Z+ category security. Since the high court asked the special court to shift the venue to a safer place, the judge announced that the verdict would be pronounced on September 27. There were 259 witnesses in the case. Jayalalithaa and other accused appeared before the special court for cross examination.
Though political circles, especially the DMK, are excited over the outcome of the case, Jayalalithaa is her normal self. If the judge finds her guilty and sentences her for a period of two years or more, she will lose her chief ministership as well as membership of the legislature. But Jayalalithaa, who has waged many legal battles and who has seen many ups and downs in her political career, has prepared a well thought out action plan to face the situation arising out of such a scenario.
She had to quit as Chief Minister immediately after her swearing in 2001 following the Supreme Court declaring null and void the action of the then Governor Fatima Beevi appointing Jayalalithaa as Chief Minister as she had been sentenced two years rigorous imprisonment in a corruption case.
The same day saw O Paneerselvan, a junior Minister in her Council of Ministers being appointed as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. By 2002, the Supreme Court set her free of all charges and she was sworn in again as the Chief Minister.
If she is sentenced like that it is expected that Jayalalithaa may nominate either Paneerselvan or a junior member as the Chief Minister till the apex court clears her of all charges.http://www.dailypioneer.com/nation/hard-week-for-jaya-da-case-verdict-on-sept-27.html