Assets case : Jaya's game plan

The buzz in the AIADMK circles is that Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jaylilathaa’s defense team is fully geared up to face the climax of the assets case in Bengaluru.  The defense team led by counsel B.Kumar is finalizing strategies to rescue Amma out of the only hurdle in her path to enter national politics.  Jayalalitha is slated to appear before the Bengaluru Special Court on 22^nd November.

B.Kumar

The DVAC team too is very edgy to complete the proceedings.   During the previous two hearings, Amma answered a barrage of questions posed by the Special Judge Mallikarjunaiah.   Sources in Bengaluru say Jayalalitha put up a brave face while the questioning began.

Sources say Jayalalitha made it clear to the Judge that how this DA case is a politically motivated case.  Jaya cited DMK General Secretary K.Anbalagan’s petition in the Supreme Court based on which the trial was transferred to Bengaluru.  She said with an intention to put a full stop to her political career… K.Anbalagan, who has no locus standi had approached the Supreme Court for a transfer. 

Jayalalitha further led her attack on Nallama Naidu the Investigating Officer in her assets case.  Amma charged Naidu as a puppet of the then DMK government…so it’s clear Amma is all set to say that the investigation was unfair and politically motivated. 

This would be the strategy adopted by Jayalalitha during the stage of arguments in Bengaluru.    Further another factor in Jaya’s favour is the valuation of a property by the Income Tax department.  Sources say one of the properties belonging to Jayalalitha which was valued by DVAC to be of 6 crores was subsequently valued by the Income Tax department as 1 crore and this could be an added advantage in favour of Jayalalitha.  So properties standing in the name of Jayalalitha are diluted she would conveniently plead ignorance about the properties in the names of Sasikala, Ilavarasi and the estranged foster son, Ilavarasi.

AMS.Gunaseelan, IPS

During the last two hearings besides the Investigating Officer G.Sambandham a Deputy Superintendent of Police, two Inspectors Vijayanand and Kumarakurubaran were also present at Bengaluru.   Inspector General of Police AMS.Gunaseelan led the team along with SP TN.Venkateswaran.    Ministers from Tamil Nadu had arranged for accommodation in the PWD guest houses at Bengaluru.   While all other officers stayed in the PWD guest house, sources say G.Sambandham alone skipped the accommodation and stayed away.

Sources in legal circles say, Sambandham who is the Investigating Officer in Jaya’s asset case is contacting retired legal officers of DVAC to find out loopholes to rescue Amma from the assets case.    

Jayalalitha while inaugurating DVAC campus in 2002

Many eyebrows were raised when G.Sambandham was allowed to continue as the Investigating Officer in Jaya’s assets case even after change of government.  Sources reveal that Sambandham had all along been in touch with AIADMK advocates. He was almost like a shadow behind the back of  Nallama Naidu, who was appointed as Officer on Special Duty by the then DMK government between 2006 and 2011.

With less than a week for the next hearing in Bengaluru for Jayalalitha, the DVAC officials are on their toes to go through the agni pariksha or Amma pariksha again. Sources say many are seeking divine intervention for an end to these anxious moments.

Besides the DMK leader M Karunanidhi and Janata Party president Subramaniam Swamy the congress party too is closely monitoring the developments in the case against Jayalalitha.