Thaindian News

New Delhi, Oct 19 (IANS) In a setback to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa, the Supreme Court Wednesday declined her plea and directed her to appear before the special trial court in Bangalore Thursday to record her statement in a disproportionate assets case against her.

To record Jayalalithaa’s statement, the special court will conduct its proceedings in Gandhi Bhavan building in Parappana Agrahara area of Bangalore.

The case relates to Rs.66.65 crore disproportionate assets allegedly amassed by AIADMK leader Jayalalithaa during her stint as chief minister of Tamil Nadu from 1991-96.

The case was transferred from Chennai to Karnataka’s capital Bangalore on the directions of the Supreme Court, which was moved by a petitioner in 2003 expressing fear that she could influence the trial in Tamil Nadu.

The apex court bench of Justice Dalveer Bhandari and Justice Dipak Misra Wednesday directed her to appear before the Bangalore court after Karnataka Chief Secretary S.V. Ranganath and Karnataka Director General of Police Neelam Achuta Rao told the court that they have made all arrangements for her security.

When senior counsel Mukul Rohtagi, appearing for Jayalalithaa, told the court that she enjoyed the NSG security cover and they (NSG) would require four days to sensitise the place where special court will sit, Justice Bhandari asked whether one would wait for four days for the NSG to sensitise an area if one had to make an urgent visit to an area.

“You are a public figure. How can you remain away from people,” observed Justice Bhandari when Rohtagi said that Gandhi Bhavan Building was located in a busy area in Bangalore.

The chief secretary and the DGP of Karnataka in their identical affidavits said: “…all necessary arrangements have been made to provide adequate security to Jayalalithaa when she comes to Bangalore and appears before the court on Oct 20 irrespective of the venue keeping in view the requirement that she was entitled to Z+ security.”

This arrangement was “in addition to other security arrangements made in respect of other programmes including inauguration of Metro rail in Bangalore city,” said one of the affidavits.

“Karnataka police in general and Bangalore city police in particular have been providing similar adequate Z+ securities to several international and national dignitaries when they visit Karnataka and Bangalore city,” it said.

Standing counsel of Karnataka Anitha Shenoy earlier told the court about the security arrangements in Bangalore.

Jayalalithaa moved the apex court Tuesday seeking deferment of her appearance before the Bangalore court till the last week of November. She said no suitable place with adequate security had been found for her court appearance.

The apex court Sep 12 directed the Karnataka government to “ensure that the proper security is provided to the petitioner (Jayalalithaa)” when she appears before the special court Oct 20.