New Delhi, Nov 18: In a major blow to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, the Supreme Court today ordered transfer of trial in two disproportionate assets cases to a special court at Bangalore saying the manner in which the trial was conducted in Chennai would have amounted to failure of justice undermining the public confidence in fair trial. Allowing a petition filed by DMK leader K Anbazaghan seeking transfer of the case outside Tamil Nadu, a bench comprising Justice S N Variava and Justice H K Sema took strong exception to the fact that Jayalalithaa though an accused in the case had never appeared before the trial court at Chennai and that a questionnaire was sent to her Poes Garden residence for the purpose of questioning her.

The apex court directed the Karnataka High Court to constitute a special court, appoint a special judge and a senior advocate as an independent public prosecutor within six weeks and hold trial on a day-to-day basis. The bench said the trial of the cases, in which it was alleged that Jayalalithaa had amassed wealth to the tune of Rs 66 crores disproportionate to her known sources of income during her earlier tenure as Chief Minister, should be concluded expeditiously as they have been pending since 1997.

Bureau Report