Did the DMK try to influence the SC, asks Jayalalithaa

By Suresh Nambath

CHENNAI, SEPT. 1 The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Ms. Jayalalithaa, has asked the DMK members in the State Assembly to clarify whether or not they tried to influence the Supreme Court in the cases against her. Clarifying that she was not attributing motives to the Supreme Court, Ms. Jayalalithaa told the Legislature today that in an ``unprecedented move'', the apex court had earlier ordered a re-trial in the coal import case, abrogating the judgments of the trial court and the Madras High Court.

Her comments came in an intervention when an AIFB member, Mr. L. Santhanam, raised the issue of the Supreme Court staying the proceedings in the Madras High Court in the appeals filed by Ms. Jayalalithaa.

The Chief Minister said the judge appointed by the previous DMK regime in the special court had discharged her in the coal case. But the DMK Government appealed in the High Court, which upheld the trial court judgment. The then Government appealed in the Supreme Court, which ordered a re-trial.

Turning to the DMK benches, she asked, ``How did they obtain the judgment? The DMK members must clarify whether or not they obtained the judgment using their influence''. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr. K. Anbazhagan, intervened to say that judgments were obtained through court and there were avenues for appeal.

To substantiate her point that DMK members had tried to influence the courts, she said the Chennai Mayor, Mr. M.K. Stalin, had told the Assembly that her days were numbered, that the time had come for the courts to deliver a judgment against her for looting crores of rupees.

Police transfers

In another intervention, Ms. Jayalalithaa criticised the Centre for seeking the transfer of three police officers from the State and argued that the provisions allowing the Centre to overrule the State Government had never before been invoked. It went against the federal system of governance and the need to maintain cordial Centre-State relations. Though the officers of the All- India Services were deputed by the Centre, they served in the State cadre. ``When they are deputed to the State, they are under the control of the State Government'', she noted.

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