Tax returns case: Court directs Jayalalithaa to appear before it

Chennai: A court here today asked Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa and her aide Sasikala to appear before it “without fail” on October 1 in income tax returns case. When the matter came up for hearing before Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate R Dakshinamurthy, the defence counsel filed petitions seeking adjournment of the case for two weeks and for dispensing with the personal appearance of the accused. The Special Public Prosecutor, however, strongly opposed the petitions referring to the time limit fixed by the Supreme Court to complete the case. [caption id=“attachment_1715407” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Tamil Nadu CM J Jayalalithaa. PTI[/caption] The matter was passed over to 2.30 pm and when the court resumed proceedings, the defence and prosecution sides made submissions strengthening their averments. At 5 pm, in a brief order, the magistrate said he was allowing the petitions filed by the accused. “The personal appearance of the accused is dispensed with [today] as a last chance,” he said. “The accused are directed to appear before court in person for answering questions and charges under the Criminal Procedure Code without fail” he said and adjourned the case to October 1. After the order was pronounced, the defence counsel made submissions seeking certain amendments in the order citing the compound plea pending with the tax authorities. When the Magistrate sought the opinion of the prosecutor, he objected to it and added that he will not concur with amendments sought by defence. “The Supreme Court has mandated that the proceedings be held on a day to day basis”, the prosecutor said. The Magistrate then ruled out amendments to the order. PTI