Jayalalitha acquitted in colour TV case

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI, MAY 30. A Special Court in Chennai today acquitted former Chief Minister, Ms. Jayalalitha, her close associate, Ms. Sasikala, and another accused, Mr. S.R. Bhaskeran, in the ``Rs.10.16-crore colour TV scam''.

The court, however, convicted under IPC and Prevention of Corruption Act, a sitting Member of Parliament and former AIADMK Minister, Mr. T.M. Selvaganapathy, former Chief Secretary, Mr. N. Haribhaskar, two IAS officers, Mr. H.M. Pandey and Mr. M. Sathiamoorthy, and three others and sentenced them to five years rigorous imprisonment. The court imposed a fine of Rs. 10,000 on each of the convicted (in default to undergo three months simple imprisonment).

Govt. to appeal

While the Government announced its intention to appeal against the acquittal, Ms. Jayalalitha declined to comment on the judgment. ``I have nothing to say,'' she said.

``Ms. Jayalalitha had no role in the conspiracy; even if it is presumed that there was violation of the financial code, it is not enough to show that she had participated in the conspiracy,'' the Special Judge-II, Mr. V. Radhakrishnan, held.

The judge rejected the prosecution contention that the other accused could not have gained pecuniary advantage without her knowledge. The prosecution charge in the case was that there were irregularities in the purchase of 45,302 colour television sets which were supplied to local bodies during 1995-96. Ms. Jayalalitha and the others, in pursuance of a conspiracy, had decided to pay more than the market price to the suppliers, thus gaining pecuniary advantage to themselves.

Mr. N.R. Janarthanam, P.A. to Mr. Selvaganapathy, two agents for the TV set supply contract, Mr. Duraisamy and Mr. Muthukumarasamy, besides Mr. S.R. Bhaskeran, a relative of Ms. Sasikala, were the other accused. In the original chargesheet, former Minister, V.R. Nedunchezhian, who died subsequently, was also in the list of accused.

The judge said while the charge of conspiracy could not be proved against all the accused, he accepted the prosecution's contention that Messrs. Selvaganapathy, Haribhaskar, Pandey, Sathiamoorthy and Janarthanam had abused their office to obtain pecuniary advantage, by getting amounts ranging from Rs. 7 lakhs to Rs. 6.60 crores from the TV supplying companies. Mr. Duraisamy and Mr. Muthukumarasamy were convicted for abetting the crime.

This is the second case against Ms. Jayalalitha in which the Special Court has pronounced its verdict. In the Pleasant Stay Hotel case, she was convicted to one year's imprisonment on charges of granting exemption from rules to enable an entrepreneur to put up a seven-storey hotel at Kodaikanal. The sentence, however, was suspended by the High Court.

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