New Delhi / Bangalore: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa will appear in a Bangalore Court at around 11:00 AM today in connection with a corruption case.
This comes after the Supreme Court rejected her latest attempt to skip that appearance. The court rejected her concerns about inadequate security on Wednesday.
The Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu had been told last month by the Supreme Court to attend a hearing at a special court right opposite the Central Prison. Her lawyers have been asking for an exemption for security reasons. The Supreme Court first refused that request a few weeks ago, stating it was a "tactic by the accused to delay proceedings." The court then asked the Karnataka government to ensure that special protection was organized for Ms Jayalalithaa's hearing.
Ms Jayalalithaa, however, petitioned the Supreme Court again. In addition to challenging the security plans drawn up for her visit to Bangalore, her lawyer said that the venue for the hearing, located 65 kilometres from the airport, is too far. Unimpressed, the judges replied, "You are a public figure. How can you remain away from the public?" The bench also turned down Ms Jayalalithaa's plea to at least shift the venue of her trial closer to the airport.
The court accepted the Karnataka government's undertaking that it has made huge arrangements to ensure a safe visit for the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister. "As far as law and order is concerned, we are very serious. From our side we are fully prepared to give security," Sadananda Gowda, the Chief Minister of Karnataka said. Jayalalithaa will get Z-plus security from the minute she lands in Bangalore by a special aircraft. The central government has also said that National Security Guard (NSG) commandos will escort the AIADMK chief to the court for the hearing.
Senior police officials in Bangalore say that though the city's metro will be inaugurated this morning in a high-profile ceremony, they will have enough personnel to ensure Ms Jayalalithaa's security.
The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister has been accused of accumulating wealth disproportionate to her known sources of income when she was the Chief Minister from 1991 to 1996. The case dates back to 1996 when the DMK government, then in power, suo motu filed a disproportionate assets case against Jayalalithaa. It was based on the complaints by the DMK's K Anbazhagan and Janata Party President Subramanian SwamyThe case was moved out of Tamil Nadu to Karnataka to ensure a fair trial.
This comes after the Supreme Court rejected her latest attempt to skip that appearance. The court rejected her concerns about inadequate security on Wednesday.
The Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu had been told last month by the Supreme Court to attend a hearing at a special court right opposite the Central Prison. Her lawyers have been asking for an exemption for security reasons. The Supreme Court first refused that request a few weeks ago, stating it was a "tactic by the accused to delay proceedings." The court then asked the Karnataka government to ensure that special protection was organized for Ms Jayalalithaa's hearing.
Ms Jayalalithaa, however, petitioned the Supreme Court again. In addition to challenging the security plans drawn up for her visit to Bangalore, her lawyer said that the venue for the hearing, located 65 kilometres from the airport, is too far. Unimpressed, the judges replied, "You are a public figure. How can you remain away from the public?" The bench also turned down Ms Jayalalithaa's plea to at least shift the venue of her trial closer to the airport.
The court accepted the Karnataka government's undertaking that it has made huge arrangements to ensure a safe visit for the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister. "As far as law and order is concerned, we are very serious. From our side we are fully prepared to give security," Sadananda Gowda, the Chief Minister of Karnataka said. Jayalalithaa will get Z-plus security from the minute she lands in Bangalore by a special aircraft. The central government has also said that National Security Guard (NSG) commandos will escort the AIADMK chief to the court for the hearing.
Senior police officials in Bangalore say that though the city's metro will be inaugurated this morning in a high-profile ceremony, they will have enough personnel to ensure Ms Jayalalithaa's security.
The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister has been accused of accumulating wealth disproportionate to her known sources of income when she was the Chief Minister from 1991 to 1996. The case dates back to 1996 when the DMK government, then in power, suo motu filed a disproportionate assets case against Jayalalithaa. It was based on the complaints by the DMK's K Anbazhagan and Janata Party President Subramanian SwamyThe case was moved out of Tamil Nadu to Karnataka to ensure a fair trial.
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