TANSI case: questioning of the accused on June 19

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI, JUNE 13. Questioning of the accused under Cr.P.C. section 313 in two cases relating to TANSI land deal, after the close of prosecution evidence, will be held on June 19.

Posting the case for the questioning procedure, the Special Judge-III, Mr. P. Anbazhagan, today directed all the accused to be present in the court on that date. Earlier, the Judge dismissed a petition by Ms. Sasikala, seeking adjournment of the TANSI-Jaya Publications land deal case.

The TANSI land deal case is the first among the cases pending before the Special Court-III, to have reached the stage of questioning of the accused.

The Judge said the Supreme Court had directed the trial court to dispose of the case expeditiously. Sufficient opportunities were given to Ms. Sasikala to cross examine the investigating officer, Mr. A. A. Jambukumaran, in the Jaya Publications case. But the cross-examination was not done.

In both TANSI-Jaya Publications and Sasi Enterprises land deal cases, while the former Chief Minister, Ms. Jayalalitha, has been cited as the main accused, the other accused are Ms. Sasikala, former CMD, TANSI, Mr. T. R. Srinivasan, former Rural Industries Minister, Mr. Mohammed Asif, former Special Deputy Collector (stamps), Mr. Nagarajan, and the then joint secretary to Ms. Jayalalitha, Mr. Karpoorasundarapandian.

The prosecution case was that in TANSI-Jaya Publications case, Ms. Jayalalitha, who along with Ms. Sasikala was a partner in the firm, with the connivance of officials purchased the corporation's foundry unit land far below the guideline value. The wrongful loss to the Government in the transaction was about Rs. 3.50 crores. Similarly, in the sale of the corporation's enamelled wire unit to Sasi Enterprises, in which also the two were partners, the loss to the Government was to the tune of Rs. 66.11 lakhs.

The Madras High Court discharged Ms. Jayalalitha from both the cases in January this year. Following an SLP by the Tamil Nadu Government, the Supreme Court stayed the High Court judgment and directed the trial court to proceed with the trial by including her as an accused.

In the application today seeking adjournment of the TANSI-Jaya Publications case, Ms. Sasikala said one Messrs.Kartheeban tourist bus services had purchased the land belonging to TANSI forging unit. The transaction also did not satisfy the alleged guideline value. The prosecution owed an explanation to the court as to why it had not launched any prosecution against the company.

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