JOIN USA special court hearing the disproportionate assets case against Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalitha on Saturday turned down the plea of the three accused for three-day proceedings in a week.
When the counsels for the accused Sasikala Natarajan, V Sudhakaran and J Ilavarasi made the plea for three-day proceedings in a week, Judge B M Mallikarjunaiah said the court had to conduct day-to-day proceedings as per higher court orders, including the SC, for expeditious trial of the case.
Manishankar and Kumar, counsels appearing for the three, sought a week-long adjournment and prayed the court to adjourn the recording of statement by Sasikala to March 3. The counsels wanted the court to conduct hearings on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays as daily hearings would be inconvenient for them. Refusing to accept the plea, the judge offered to accept adjournment by a day or two.
Public Prosecutor Sandesh Chowta too opposed the adjournment sought by the defence counsel saying such a step would amount to attracting contempt of court. He read out a portion of the SC order given to the court to conduct trial expeditiously. Sasikala, the second accused, answered 69 questions on Saturday, taking the total number to 172 out of the 1000-odd questions framed by the court.
In some instances, the police have fabricated evidence to frame Jayalalitha and her, she alleged. Sasikala said she was not aware of the land purchase transactions by Sudhakaran, the third accused. The judge adjourned further recording of the statement by Sasikala to February 29.