Jaya sentenced to imprisonment in TANSI cases

Jaya sentenced to imprisonment in TANSI cases
PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

CHENNAI, OCT 9: In a major blow ahead of the assembly elections early next year, AIADMK supremo J Jayalalitha was today convicted and sentenced to three years' imprisonment in the TANSI land deal case and another two years in a related case which could disqualify her from contesting the polls.

Her close associate, Sasikala Natarajan, former rural industries minister Mohammed Asif and three officials were also convicted and sentenced to three years' imprisonment and a fine of Rs 10,000 each by special judge P Anbazhagan, who acquitted Asif in the second case.

The judge, however, suspended the operation of the sentences till November seven to enable them to appeal against the verdict but it was not immediately clear whether the sentences would run concurrently or separately.

Jayalalitha, who was already convicted in the Pleasant Stay Hotels case and sentenced to one year imprisonment, runs the risk of being barred from contesting elections under the Representation of People's Act.

The Act says ``A person convicted for any offence and sentenced to imprisonment for not less than two years shall be disqualified from the date of such conviction and shall continue to be disqualified for a period of six years since his release.''

Jayalalitha was charged with purchase of land and buildings belonging to two units of the government-owned Tamil Nadu Small Industries Corporation (TANSI) as chief minister in 1992 through Jaya Publications and Sasi Enterprises in which she and Sasikala were partners.

The transactions, which were undervalued, resulted in a loss of Rs 4.16 crore to TANSI, the prosecution had alleged.

The TANSI cases were considered the strongest against Jayalalitha, who faces a slew of corruption cases for her alleged acts of omission and commission during her tenure between 1991 and 1996.

Earlier, this year a judge at the Madras High Court had dismissed the TANSI case against her but on an appeal by the Tamil Nadu Government, the Supreme Court erased the High Court order and directed her to stand trial.

A visibly upset Jayalalitha left the court premises without talking to reporters while AIADMK advocates and supporters shouted slogans against Chief Minister Karunanidhi alleging political vendetta.

Shortly after the verdict, Jayalalitha called off a party general council meeting slated for tomorrow citing ``unavoidable'' reasons. She also postponed a planned tour of southern districts of the state from October 15.

Scores of AIADMK activists were taken into custody in various parts of the state when they attempted to block roads protesting against the judgement. In Chennai, 250 party workers were rounded up when they attempted to set ablaze an effigy of the Chief Minister.

Security was beefed up in the entire state in the context of violence earlier this year after Jayalalitha's conviction in the hotel case when AIADMK workers allegedly torched a bus in Dharamapur which three Agriculture University girls were burnt alive.

Today's judgement evoked mixed reaction. Janata Party president Subramaniam Swamy, whose petition before the late Governor M Chenna Reddy, led to Jayalalitha's prosecution in the case, said he felt vindicated. All politicians should be made accountable in a democracy.

Similarly, another one-time ally, Vaiko, MDMK general secretary, said the verdict was a ``victory for justice''.

He said none, who misused their authority while in power, could ``escape'' from the clutches of law.

However, AIADMK ally and general secretary of Dravidar Kazhagam (DK) K Veeramani said although the verdict might gladden the hearts of her opponents, it was not final.