Chennai: More than two decades after registering Fera case against V.K. Sasikala, now detained at Parappana Agrahara Central Prison, Bengaluru, the Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (Economic Offence-II), Chennai framed charges against her through video conference on Thursday.
She was produced before the judge S. Malarmathy through video-conference facility from the prison. During 90-minute long proceeding, the judge read out the charges against her in two cases registered by Enforcement Directorate. When judge asked her views on cases, Sasikala denied the charges. When the judge asked Sasikala whether she would cross-examine the prosecution witness, she agreed.
Later, the judge directed her to appear before the court on January 9 through video conference for framing charge against her in two other cases.
According to prosecution five cases were registered against Sasikala and her relative TTV Bhaskaran, brother of Amma Makkal Munetra Kazhagam leader TTV Dhinakaran, and J J Tv (predecessor of Jaya TV) by ED on charges of violating the FERA. They had made payments in US and Singapore dollars to foreign firms for hiring transponders, equipment and up link facilities for J J TV during 1995 and 1996.
The payments were illegally routed to US-based Rimsat through firms having network in the Philippines and Singapore. Violating the RBI norms they paid US $ 10 lakh and US $ 3.6 lakh, to these companies. The court took up the matter after Madras High court set aside the trial court order discharging them from the case.
The trial court framed charges against her in June 2017 through video conference. On November 30, judge S. Malarmathy found that the accused had not signed the papers relating to framing of charges and noted that she had not appeared before the court as directed earlier citing health reasons. She ordered issuance of a warrant for production of Sasikala before the court to complete the legal formalities. Based on her advocate Ashokan’s appeal, the Madras High Court recently set aside the warrant and directed the ACMM court complete the trial in four months.
