Jayalalitha grilling may end today

Revealing this to Deccan Herald, her counsel B Kumar said: “One of the important questions she will be answering tomorrow (Wednesday) would be on the police investigation. The methods employed by the investigating team, among other things, will be posed before her and her response sought.”

In all probability, recording of her statements will be completed on Wednesday with only 192 questions of the  1,339 she was supposed to reply remaining. Sources said that she was keen on completing the exercise on Tuesday but did not succeed. In all, she answered 580 questions on Tuesday between 11 am to 5.20 pm, as opposed to 567 on both her previous appearances.

Kumar said: “We voluntarily cut short the lunch interval. We had requested the judge to curtail the interval by 15 minutes and he obliged.”

One of the important questions posed was about her foster son’s wedding expenses.
Advocate General B V Acharya, who is appearing on behalf of prosecution said: 

“According to the prosecution she has spent Rs 5.99 crore on Sudhakaran’s wedding. However, in one of the very few elaborate answers, she said that the bride’s party had taken care of all the expenses and that she did not spend even a penny.”

Wealth estimate

Another important question, he said, pertained to her acquisition of wealth through partnerships in companies. “She pleaded ignorance about the day to day activities of these companies claiming that she was only a dormant partner,” Acharya said.

However, she has accepted the bank transactions through her personal accounts.

Among other things that Jayalalitha disputed was the valuation of the jewellery. Kumar said: “Her contention was that there was no need to evaluate the jewellery in 1995 as the weight tallied with her declaration made in 1991. And even if it had to be done, it should have been done by the jewellers she purchased them from and not otherwise.”

T V Sudhakaran, co-accused, was also seen at the special court on Tuesday but Ilavarasi, Kumar said, had sought exemption from appearing citing health reasons.

The court will take up questioning of other accused –– Sasikala, Ilavarasi and T V Sudhakaran after Jaya’s turn is over.