A special court yesterday framed charges against former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalitha, her close associate Sasikala Natarajan and nine others in the colour TV purchase scandal and ordered the trial in the case from June 22.
The case relates to purchase of over 45,000 television sets for distribution to panchayats, which resulted in pecuniary benefits allegedly to Jayalalitha and others to the tune of Rs 10.16 crore and a loss of Rs 9 crore to the government.
Dismissing the discharge petition by Jayalalitha and others, special judge V Radhakrishan, said that it was prima facie clear from the materials placed on record that the accused had become a party to a criminal conspiracy to purchase colour TV sets at the rate of Rs 14,500 each instead of the then prevailing market rate of R 12,500, violating all norms and rules.
These are the third set of charges framed against the AIADMK supremo after the Pleasant Stay hotel case and disproportionate wealth case.
The judge said there were sufficient grounds to presume that the accused had committed offences, which could be tried by the court. By no stretch of imagination could it be said that the charges levelled against them were groundless, he added.
However, commencement of trial would depend on the outcome of a petition filed by Jayalalitha in the Madras High Court challenging the validity of the special courts set up to try corruption cases.
The court, which issued an interim stay on proceeding with trial of corruption cases, had reserved its ruling on the petition. It is likely to be made known only after the courts summer vacation which ends on June 7.
Referring to Jayalalithas contention that the Governor did not know Tamil and there was non-application of mind while according sanction for her prosecution, the judge said there was no such rule or procedure which made it mandatory for the Governor to say in the sanction order itself that documents in Tamil were translated into English and that the sanction was granted on the basis of the translation.
Other accused in the case include Sasikala Natarajan, B R B
Haskar, nephew of Sasikala, T N Selvaganapathy, V R Nedunchezhian, V Sathiyamoorthy (all former AIADMK ministers), N Haribhaskar, former chief secretary, and H M Pandey, an IAS officer.
After all the accused who were in the court pleaded not guilty, the judge framed the charges under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Prevention of Corruption Act.
