Jaya thumb impression row: Madras HC seeks fingerprint details from B'luru jail
Chennai: The Madras High Court on Thursday decided to compare former chief minister J Jayalalithaa's thumb impression on documents relating to a bypoll last year, with the late leader's fingerprints available with the Parappana Agrahara jail at Bengaluru.
Justice P Velmurugan also asked the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) to furnish Jayalalithaa's thumb impression details to the court.
The superintendent of central prison at Parappana Agrahara and UIDAI regional officer, who handles Aadhaar, should give fingerprints' details to the court by December 8, the judge said.
The matter relates to a petition filed by P Saravanan, DMK candidate for the November 2016 Thirupparankundram Assembly bypoll, challenging the election of AIADMK's AK Bose.
During the pendency of the case, Saravanan had filed an additional affidavit, questioning the validity of the election documents.
He contended that the thumb impression of Jayalalithaa was obtained without her consent and knowledge while she was unconscious, with the "connivance" of the doctors who attended to the former chief minister and others.
Jayalalithaa was lodged in the jail after her conviction in the Rs 65.66 crore disproportionate assets case in 2014.
She subsequently secured bail from the Supreme Court and was released on October 18, 2014, after spending 21 days in prison.
The Karnataka High Court later acquitted her and three of her associates of all charges, but the Supreme Court on February 14 this year set aside the order.
However, since Jayalalithaa passed away on December 5 last year, the apex court abated the proceedings against her.
The apex court convicted Sasikala, deposed AIADMK general secretary, and her two relatives in the case and had restored the trial court's order awarding four year jail term to them.
She is at present in the jail.
In his petition, Saravanan had also questioned the EC's decision to accept the left-thumb impression of Jayalalithaa affixed on the documents filed in support of Bose's nomination papers.
He further submitted that following the attestation, the AIADMK candidate (Bose) was allowed to contest on the 'two leaves' symbol under the "defective form A and form B" of the documents, which had materially "affected the outcome of the election".
The Election Commission (EC) had last month submitted that it had accepted the left-thumb impression of the late leader, affixed on documents relating to the bypoll, based on a letter from AIADMK presidium chairman E Madhusudhanan.
The letter stated that Jayalalithaa was not in a position to sign as she was unwell and hence, her left-thumb impression attested by the doctor could be taken on file, K F Wilfred, Principal Secretary of the EC, said.
The court had summoned the official for giving evidence on the election plea.
