The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Hearing in `gifts' case adjourned

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Friday, Sep 15, 2006
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Hearing in `gifts' case adjourned

Special Correspondent

Jayalalithaa seeks exemption from appearance

FIRST APPEARANCE: Former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa arriving at the Special Court for CBI cases in connection with the `gifts' case on Thursday. — Photo: V.Ganesan

CHENNAI: Former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa appeared before the Special Court for Central Bureau of Investigation Cases here on Thursday in the `gifts' case.

After the mandatory first appearance in the case, counsel for Ms. Jayalalithaa filed a petition under Section 205 of the Code of Criminal Procedure seeking to dispense with her further appearance. Principal Special Judge S. Meenakshisundaram allowed the plea after counsel for the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) said he had no objection to it. Another petition was filed on behalf of Ms. Jayalalithaa seeking copies of the documents in the case, and an order on the matter was likely to be passed by the court on Monday.

On its part, the CBI submitted that summons to two other accused — Azhagu Thirunavukkarasu and K.A. Sengottaiyan, both former AIADMK Ministers — could not be served. The agency was permitted to issue fresh summons to them.

The judge then adjourned the matter to October 16 for further proceedings.

The case of the CBI is that Ms. Jayalalithaa, when she was Chief Minister, had accepted demand drafts, cash and jewellery and claimed them as gifts in her income tax returns. She had accepted 89 demand drafts, worth over Rs. 2 crore, from 57 persons in 1992. The CBI filed a 2,000-page charge sheet on July 31.

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