MESSAGE BOARD
NEWSLINKS
US EDITION
COLUMNISTS
DIARY
SPECIALS
INTERVIEWS
CAPITAL BUZZ
REDIFF POLL
DEAR REDIFF
ELECTIONS
ARCHIVES

CBI gets nod to prosecute Jaya: PTI

The Central Bureau of Investigation is likely to file a chargesheet against former Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalitha in the SPIC disinvestment case on Friday, following the grant of sanction by the state governor to prosecute her, CBI sources said in Madras on Thursday.

The sanction to prosecute Jayalalitha was obtained on Wednesday, the sources said, adding that among the others to to be arraigned were former state industries secretary C Ramachandran and SPIC vice-chairman A C Muthiah.

The case under the Prevention of Corruption Act was investigated by the agency on directions of the Madras high court in 1997 in a writ petition filed by Janata Party president Dr Subramanian Swamy.

The case pertains to alleged irregularities in the AIADMK government's decision to ask the state-owned Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation to relinquish its stake in the Southern Petrochemical Industries Corporation (SPIC) in 1992.

Allowing Swamy's petition, the judge had asked the CBI to probe the matter and directed Jayalalitha, SPIC's then chairman, the late M A Chidambaram, and Muthiah to make good the losses to the government. He had also asked the state chief secretary to take over as SPIC chairman.

However, a division bench had stayed the directions for the payment and change in the company's chairmanship.

Tell us what you think of this report