ELECTIONS '98
COMMENTARY
SPECIALS
INTERVIEWS
CAPITAL BUZZ
REDIFF POLL
DEAR REDIFF
THE STATES
YEH HAI INDIA!
ARCHIVES

Court finds prima facie evidence against Jaya in Tansi land case

The special judge trying corruption charges against the previous All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam regime in Tamil Nadu dismissed former chief minister J Jayalalitha's plea to discharge her from the Tansi land deal case, holding that there was prima facie evidence against her and five other accused.

Delivering the judgment, Justice P Anbhazhagan said facts presented in the chargesheet and during arguments showed that the sale deed of the prime land at Guindy had been executed on May 29, 1992 with the dishonest intention of cheating the government.

He said at the time of the sale Jayalalitha had been the chief minister and hence, the purchase of the land by Jaya publications, in which she was a partner, was bound to attract punishment under section 169 of the Indian Penal Code.

"Being a public servant, she is legally bound not to purchase properties belonging to the state government," he said.

He posted further hearing on the case to April 27, when the discharge petition filed by Sasikala Natarajan would come up.

The other accused in the case are former small scale industries minister Mohamad Asif, former Tansi chairman and managing director T R Srinivasan, former stamps collector S Nagarajan and former joint secretary to the chief minister Karpurasundara Pandian.

UNI

Tell us what you think of this report