SC rejects Jayalalithaa’s plea to advance hearing in assets case

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to advance the date of hearing, already fixed on December 18, on a plea of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa in the disproportionate assets case in which she has been awarded four years jail term.

A bench headed by Chief H L Dattu, which had granted bail to the AIADMK leader on October 17, however, had not disposed of her bail plea and kept it pending to ensure that she files the entire paper book and records before the Karnataka High Court within two months.

"If the paper book is not filed within two months, then we won't give you even a single day more," the bench, while posting the matter for December 18, had said.

Senior advocate Fali S Nariman, appearing for 66-year-old Jayalalithaa, today sought preponement of the hearing. The court, however, did not allow it.

BJP leader Subramanian Swamy, who also mentioned the matter, has sought the entire documents from the counsel of the former Chief Minister as he intends to contest her appeal against conviction before the Karnataka High Court.

"Nariman has assured me that he will be providing me the documents," Swamy told reporters outside the courtroom.

The apex court had granted bail to Jayalalithaa on a condition that her appeal against conviction in the High Court should be completed in five months.

The AIADMK leader had moved the apex court after the High Court refused to suspend the sentence of four years simple imprisonment awarded by the trial court in Bangalore in the illegal assets case.

She was sent to jail on September 27 following her conviction in the case.

Earlier, the High Court had also refused bail to the former Chief Minister's close aide Sasikala and two of her relatives.

The Special Court had held Jayalalithaa and three others guilty of corruption. The court had also slapped a fine of Rs 100 crore on the AIADMK chief and Rs 10 crore fine on each of the three other convicts.