Jayalalithaa's DA case: Theories do the rounds on verdict

CHENNAI: On Tuesday, as the Supreme Court convenes what is expected to be one of the concluding chapters of the nearly two-decade-long ' disproportionate assets case' against Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa and three others, the anticipation is sky-high.

The observations by the top court in its hearing last week triggered speculation locally as those with an interest in the case parsed the court's remarks and came up with theories about the eventual judgment.

The apex court reportedly observed: "Disproportionate assets is not a crime. It is only a crime if it is proved the source of the money is illegal. Otherwise it (the illegality of disproportionate assets) is only an inference."

While the obvious lines of analysis tend in the direction of a conviction or an approval, another possibility mentioned is the SC remanding the case to the Karnataka HC and asking it to address "factual errors."

But M G Devasahayam, a former IAS officer who is the convenor of Forum for Electoral Integrity, believes another option is likely.

"After listening to the observations in the last hearing, I have a feeling they will go for a fourth option: to order a retrial of the entire case," said Devasahayam, whose organisation counts former CECs T S Krishnamurthy and N Gopalaswami as members. "In case a retrial from the scratch is ordered, the chief minister can continue in office for as long as the new case goes on."

Jayalalithaa was convicted by a trial court of misusing her position as Chief Minister between 1991 and 1996 to amass disproportionate assets of nearly Rs 67 crore. The Karnataka High Court overturned that verdict and acquitted her last year.

AIADMK is confident "nothing bad will happen."

DMK's legal wing, on the other hand, is not deterred by the recent observations and hopes it will not have any bearing on the verdict.