Jayalalithaa's answers 567 questions, deposition adjourned to Nov 8

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa Friday contended before the special court trying the Rs66-crore disproportionate asset case against her that the jewellery and other articles seized from her have been "over valued" and prayed for their "revaluation".

Deposing before the court for the second consecutive day, she said the jewellery, silverware and footwear have been over valued by Tamil Nadu's Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption and she did not possess all the sarees confiscated.

Jayalalithaa, who answered 567 questions in the last two days, said the jewellery seized had been acquired by her much before the "check period" and much before she became chief minister.

Yesterday she answered 379 questions and 188 today.

DVAC has given "totally an inflated figure" on the value of sarees, she told special court Judge B M Mallikarjunaiah during recording of evidence, adding that she was drawing a salary of Rs one per month when she was chief minister.

Jayalalithaa disputed that huge assets have been acquired by various companies, in which she was only a "silent partner" and pleaded her ignorance about them.

To a question on acquisition of agricultural land and building by various companies in which her estranged foster son V Sudhakaran and others, including Jaya TV are partners, she pleaded ignorance about transactions of these companies.

As her questioning remained inconclusive, the Judge adjourned further hearing to November 8.

However V Kumar, counsel for Jayalalithaa, told reporters she would move the Supreme Court seeking a direction regarding her appearance again as it had permitted two days for questioning.

Asked if Jayalalithaa would appear on Nov 8 before the court, Kumar said it all depends on the Supreme Court direction. He said according to the Supreme Court directive, the questioning was to be completed in two days.

Special Public Prosecutor B V Acharya said Jayalalitha told the court that the articles purchased by her were for distribution in orphanage. The in-camera proceedings began at 11 am and concluded by 5 pm.

Acharya said the court had framed 1,339 questions on the case, in which Sudharakan, Jayalalithaa's close confidante Sashikala Natarajan and Sasikala's relative Ilavarasi are also accused.

Jayalalitha answered all questions extempore with no written brief, Kumar said.

Since yesterday, the court completed her questioning in relation to statements of 151 out of the 259 witnesses.

Minutes before court proceedings ended, the judge wanted to continue the hearing tomorrow, but Jayalalitha expressed her inability, saying she has to attend a conference of chief ministers at Delhi.

When the judge suggested November 4 as the next date for hearing, she said she had an important engagement that day, after which he adjourned further hearing to November 8.

Jayalalithaa, who flew back to Chennai yesterday evening after her statement was recorded, returned here this morning to appear before the makeshift court at Parappana Agrahara central jail premises on the city outskirts.

Accused of having amassed wealth of Rs 66 crore disproportionate to her known sources of income between 1991-96 as chief minister, she appeared before the court for the first time in the 15-year-old case since the trial was transferred to Bangalore in 2003 by the Supreme Court.

Her appearance followed a Supreme Court order on Wednesday, rejecting her plea to postpone the hearing against her by a few days and asking her to appear before the special court.

Police had made massive security arrangements for Jayalalithaa, who enjoys 'Z plus' category security status.

The trial was shifted to Bangalore following an Apex Court directive on a petition by DMK, that a fair trial was not possible in Chennai during her tenure as chief minister then.