Corruption chargesheet against Jaya by April-end

The Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption is all set to complete the investigation into the disproportionate assets case against former Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalitha and her benamis.

A chargesheet is to be filed by the end of April.

The investigation, which was taken up in June on the orders of the principal sessions court, has reached the final stage with only one accused and a few more witnesses to be examined, according to DVAC sources.

After interrogating Ilavarasi, the fourth accused in the case and sister-in-law of Sasikala, and examination of few more witnesses, the officials are confident of filing a chargesheet by April-end.

Even as an investigation is going on, a separate wing has been formed to compile records and documents of properties purchased by Jayalalitha and her benamis during 1991-96 for the purpose of preparing the chargesheet, the sources said.

They said that though the DVAC has unearthed many properties, only those which have solid documentary evidences that could not be disputed by the accused would be included in the chargesheet.

The agency, through the court of small causes, had already got attached 39 properties valued at Rs 430 million acquired by Jayalalitha, her disowned friend Sasikala, disowned foster son V N Sudhagaran and Ilavarasi during 1991-96 when she was chief minister.

While eight immovable assets including the two Poes Garden residences and farmhouses and bungalows in the Grape Garden at Hyderabad were in the name of Jayalalitha, other properties including the much publicised lands and buildings in villages along the East Coast Road were in the names of her benamis.

On the question of proving the case, the agency seemed to be well prepared as the onus of disproving the acquisition of the assets is on the accused. But the agency has been cautious to prove that the other properties in the names of Sasikala, Sudhagaran and Ilavarasi were held by them on behalf of Jayalalitha, the sources said.

Sources, however, said the agency would not find it difficult to establish that Sasikala, her nephew and sister-in-law had functioned as benamis of Jayalalitha as all the three have given 36, Poes Garden as their address.

Besides, the agency would rely on some evidences including signed papers to prove that they held the properties in the name of the former chief minister, the sources added.

Having examined over 400 witnesses so far, it was planning to cite only witnesses who are government servants, to avoid any witness turning hostile.

Despite the deadlines set by the court to complete the investigation and submit the report, the agency was taking its own time to make the entire operation fool-proof and avoid giving any loophole which might go in favour of the accused, sources added.

The sources expressed confidence that once the special court is set up after filing of the chargesheet, the trial would be completed within a year.

On the role of Natarajan, husband of Sasikala, the sources said though Jayalalitha and Sasikala gave an impression that he was in no way connected with their affairs, seizure of some papers in his residence proved otherwise.

Citing the seizure of some documents including the detention orders of Sasikala and her nephew Dinakaran from his residence, the sources said he had a close link with her wife and functioned as a "power centre".

Besides documents, during the recent search, three pistols, including two foreign ones, were seized and deposited in the court, the sources added.

The palatial farm house at Hyderabad Grapes Garden was built at the suggestion of Sasikala, the sources said adding that a city based architect who designed many bungalows off the East Coast Road, designed this bungalow too.

Apart from the much publicised white marbles in the huge round hall, there was a giant four feet by four feet imported television set in a corner. This was imported from the United States in the name of a businessman.

The consignment was brought to Trivandrum by flight and from there, taken to the farmhouse by road, the sources said.

UNI