Sasikala allowed to inspect records in DA case

The Supreme Court on Thursday allowed a plea made by V K Sasikala, a close aide of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalitha, seeking inspection of certain documents relating to the disproportionate assets case pending before a Bangalore court.

A bench of Justices P Sathasivam and Ranjan Gogoi directed such an inspection should be completed within 21 days at the place determined by the special court.

The apex court did not agree with the Karnataka High Court’s conclusion that the applications filed by Sasikala might be an attempt to delay the trial. The high court had refused to allow her plea also relying on the apex court’s order passed on November 18, 2003 asking for conducting the trial in the case on a day-to-day basis.

“While the anxiety to bring the trial to its earliest conclusion has to be shared it is fundamental that in the process none of the well entrenched principles of law that have been laboriously built by illuminating judicial precedents is sacrificed or compromised. In no circumstance, the cause of justice can be made to suffer, though, undoubtedly, it is highly desirable that the finality of any trial is achieved in the quickest possible time.

“It is not the stage of making of the request; the efflux of time that has occurred or the prior conduct of the accused that is material. What is of significance is if in a given situation the accused comes to the court contending that some papers forwarded to the court by the investigating agency have not been exhibited by the prosecution as the same favours the accused the court must concede a right to the accused to have an access to the said documents, if so claimed,” the apex court said.

The apex court allowed Sasikala’s plea made before the trial court on March 29 and April 18, this year for access of certain documents and inspection of the records.