The Minister, who was replying to the debate on demands for grants to the Law department in the Assembly, said Jayalalitha was trying to escape from the cases and trying to water it down by using the political situation (at the Centre). But her efforts would fail. He said if there were 10 persons like Jayalalitha who keep on filing petitions in the court to delay the cases, then no court in Tamil Nadu would function, he said.

Of the 53 corruption cases registered against Jayalalitha, her erstwhile Cabinet colleagues, officers and her coterie,DVAC had filed 34 cases and CB-CID 19 cases. In the DVAC cases, charge-sheets were filed in 11 cases and in 17 others, investigation is almost over. In the CB-CID cases, charge-sheets were filed in 13 cases and six were under investigation.

Recalling the obstacles placed by Jayalalitha and others for a smooth trial in the courts, the Minister said in the TANSI case alone, she had obtained adjournments 108 times, and charges were yet to be framed in the case.

The existing Borstal School in Pudukottai would be shifted to Salem, and the complex in Pudukottai converted as Central Prison, the Minister said. Once this was through, then there would be enough space in jails to those persons still outside who were frequently flying to Chennai and New Delhi.

Referring to some MLAs' requests for relocating the existing courts and opening new ones, he said a committee consisting of the Home Secretary, Law Secretary and Registrar of the Madras High Court was asked to go through the issue and the final decision wouldbe taken in three months.

On the proposal to set up a bench of the Madras High Court at Madurai, the Minister said the Government had already acquired 75 acres of land at Ulaganeri near Madurai and handed it over to the High Court. It is for the latter to take a decision.

Regarding searches being carried out by the prison authorities in the cells where Muslim fundamentalists were lodged, he said the searches were not against any particular community. The prison administration was functioning as per the rules, he said.