SPP appointed for wealth case

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI, JULY 18. Nearly two months after the AIADMK Government took over, a Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) has been appointed for the `disproportionate wealth case' against Ms. Jayalalithaa, filed during the previous DMK rule.

Mr. M. Chandrasekaran, who has been handling three other cases in Special Courts II and III, has been appointed for the wealth case against Ms. Jayalalithaa and the `fire service scam' case also, both pending before Mr. A.C. Arumugaperumal Adityan. Special Judge-I.

After filing the memo of appearance in the wealth case when it came up for hearing, the SPP sought time till August 1 to restart recording of evidence. He submitted that his predecessor had not handed over papers to him and they were sought. To this, the judge said the investigating officer would be having the papers.

The papers were likely to be received now, the SPP said and sought time to go through the voluminous documents and prepare himself to conduct the case. He also undertook to produce the prosecution witness on August 1. Further, he was the only SPP who was handling five cases before the special courts.

The judge said the previous SPP had resigned long ago. ``What were they (police) doing? It only shows the interest in this case.'' When the SPP said the investigating officer was also newly-appointed, the judge wanted to know whether he had taken charge. To the PP's reply in the affirmative, the judge shot back: ``What charge... without any papers.'' There were only a handful of witnesses to be cross-examined. One of the witnesses, a bank official, came to the court eight times but his cross- examination by defence had not been completed, the judge said. The witness was absent today.

The court made it clear to the SPP that it could not extend beyond 15 days the remand in judicial custody of Mr. V.N. Sudhagaran, cited as third accused.

The case was later posted for July 25.

Sudhagaran's petition

Meanwhile, Mr. Sudhagaran filed a petition praying he be allowed to wear dark-tinted glasses during his travel from the Palayamkottai prison, where he was lodged, to the court.

He said he felt severe irritation and pain in the eyes owing to dust allergy and a doctor advised him to wear the glasses, but the prison authorities were not permitting him.

Allowing Mr. Sudhagaran to wear the glasses, the judge pointed out that the SPP had said there was no prohibition in the prison manual for a prisoner wearing any dark-tinted glasses. Under such circumstances and also taking into consideration Mr. Sudhagaran's eye disease, he was permitting the petitioner to wear the glasses.

The SPP in a memo said he had nothing to do with the wearing of glasses by the accused. He said that in the judge's order his designation had been incorporated in the contents and it should be eschewed.

To this, the judge said he was recording the memo. ``What transpired in the open court was incorporated in the order passed today. There is nothing to be eschewed since the order has been pronounced already.''

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