Jayalalithaa, Sasikala asked to appear in court in IT case

Chennai: The Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) Court -I, Egmore on March 20 directed Chief Minister  J Jayalalithaa and her close aide, N Sasikala to appear before it on April 3 in connection with Income Tax cases filed against them.

The Supreme Court had in January 2013 directed the lower court to complete the trial in four months after dismissing a batch of appeals filed against a Madras High Court judgment which rejected their discharge petitions.

The Assistant Commissioner of Income Tax, Chennai, launched criminal proceedings, by filing complaints in 1996 and 1997,

against Sasi Enterprises and its partners, Jayalalithaa, and Sasikala for the wilful and deliberate failure to file returns for the assessment years 1991-92 and 1992-93. The IT department also alleged that they committed offences punishable under provision of the Income Tax Act, 1961. In 2006, their discharge petitions were dismissed by the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court and the Madras High Court.

In accordance with the direction of the apex court, ACMM R Dakshinamoorthy took up the matter on March 20. However, counsel  for Jayalalithaa and Sasikala filed an application seeking adjournment of the case for three weeks as a clarification application filed by them was pending before the apex court.

K Ramasamy, Senior Special Public Prosecutor for Income Tax cases, opposed the plea and urged the court to direct the accused to appear before it for framing of charges.

Dismissing the application, ACMM Dakshinamoorthy said, "The prayer to adjourn the case is not acceptable. Hence the accused is directed to appear on April 3."