SC relief for Jayalalitha in DA case

The Supreme Court on Friday extended the stay on trial in the disproportionate assets (DA) case against Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalitha in a Bangalore court by another 10 days.

A bench of Justices J S Khekhar and C Nagappan adjourned the matter to June 16 after Tamil Nadu’s vigilance and anti-corruption directorate sought more time to respond to Jayalalitha’s plea as it got a copy of her petition only on June 2.

The chief minister had contended that the criminal case against her could not continue until the civil suit going on in the same court with regard to ownership of properties was not disposed of.

She had challenged the Karnataka High Court on May 21. As the hearing began, the counsel representing Tamil Nadu said his instructions were incomplete.

“We grant him time to complete instructions,” the bench said. The state’s vigilance and anti-corruption branch counsel wanted three weeks’ time but the court declined, directing it to file its affidavit by Friday.

Senior advocate L N Rao, appearing for Jayalalitha, submitted that the claim petitions filed by certain individuals over the properties of the chief minister were being heard by a Bangalore court on a day-to-day basis.

The bench directed the interim order of stay on the proceedings in the disproportionate assets case to continue till June 16.