Hyderabad: Call it providence or coincidence, the entire episode of disproportionate assets case involving the late J. Jayalalithaa, V.K. Sasikala and others unfolded when three prominent Telugu politicians were the Governor of Tamil Nadu. On a representation from Subramanian Swamy, who is now a BJP MP, it was Marri Chenna Reddy, in his capacity as Governor of Tamil Nadu had in 1996 permitted prosecution of the then Chief Minister Jayalalithaa in the disproportionate assets case.
When the trial court at Bengaluru pronounced its verdict in 2015 and sentenced all the four accused, including Jayalalithaa, Konijeti Rosaiah, who was the Governor at that time, inducted O. Panneerselvam as the Chief Minister. It was Mr Rosaiah again who inducted Jayalalithaa as the Chief Minster after she got relief in the Karnataka High Court which set aside the trial court’s judgement and acquitted all the four accused.
However, on an appeal filed by the Karnataka state government in Supreme Court against the acquittal, the apex court, after completing the hearing in the case in June, 2016, had reserved its judgement. After eight months, the apex court verdict, which is final, came during the tenure of Governor Ch. Vidyasagar Rao.
