Timeline of the DA case against Jayalalithaa

Timeline of the DA case against Jayalalithaa

Question: The former Tamil Nadu CM Jayalalithaa has been acquitted in the disproportionate assets case by the special bench of the Karnataka HC recently. Give a timeline of the DA case against Jayalalithaa.

Timeline of DA Case Against Jayalalithaa

• 1996: Dr. Subramanian Swamy leading JP filed a case against Jayalalithaa that when she was CM from 1991-1996, she amassed properties worth INR 66 crore as DA

• 1997: Jayalalithaa was arrested and allegations of DA followed

• Prosecution said Jayalalithaa and 3 others were indicted in DA case in Additional Sessions Court

• She was formally charge sheeted on June 4 under sections 120-B IPC, 13(2) and 13(1)(e) of Prevention of Corruption Act 1988

• 1st October, 1997: Madras HC dismissed 3 petitions by Jayalalithaa

• May 2001: AIADMK secured absolute majority and Jayalalithaa’s appointment as CM was challenged because of her conviction in TANSI case; the appointment was nullified by SC

• 21st September 2001: Jayalalithaa ceases to be CM. Conviction is set aside

• 21st February: She is elected in a bypolls and again becomes CM
• 2003: DMK General Secretary gets case transferred to Karnataka

• On November 18th, case is transferred by SC to Bengaluru

• 19th February 2004: B.V. Acharya appointed as Special public prosecutor/SPP for case by Karnataka Government

• October 2011: Jayalalithaa deposes in Special Court; Answers 1,339 questions

• 12th August 2012: Acharya is unable to continue as SPP; his resignation is accepted

• 2nd February 2013: G. Bhavani Singh is appointed as SPP

• 12th December 2013: Special Court allows plea by DMK GS and directs asset seizure and depositing of the same in RBI treasury

• 28th February 2014: Special Court dismisses plea by SPP

• 28th August, 2014: Special Court reserves judgement for September 20 and directs all the four accused, including Jayalalithaa, to appear before it on that date.

• 27th September, 2014: Special Court convicts former CM Jayalalithaa

• 29th September, 2014: Jayalalithaa Moves Karnataka HC seeking bail

• 7th October, 2014: Karnataka HC refuses bail

• 9th October, 2014: Jayalalithaa moves SC for bail

• 17th October, 2014: SC grants bail; former CM is released

• 18th December, 2014: SC extends former CM’s bail by 4 months

• 15th April 2015: SC gives split verdict on plea to remove SPP in Jayalalithaa DA case

• 28th April, 2015: B. V. Acharya reappointed as SPP; sent submission praying for dismissal of her appeal

• May 11, 2015: Karnataka HC acquits the former TN CM and 3 others

Facts and Stats

• In a court victory for Jayalalithaa’s AIADMK, Justice Kumaraswamy has acquitted all 4 accused (including the former TN CM) of all charges in the disproportionate assets/DA case

• This is a special bench of the Karnataka HC which released the former CM

• This is less than a year after she had been fined INR 100 crore and given a jail sentence of 4 years

• The other 3 accused were aide Sasikala Natarajan and relatives J. Elavarasi and V. N. Sudhakaran