Assets case: DMK to appeal against Jayalalithaa’s acquittal in SC

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While Jayalalithaa had waited for almost 10 days after the May 11 acquittal order before swearing in as CM, Karunanidhi had been insisting that the Karnataka government file an appeal as it was their “duty to uphold justice.”

The DMK meeting that took the decision also had the backing of opinions from B V Acharya, Special Public Prosecutor in the Jayalalithaa case, and Karnataka Advocate General Ravi Varma Kumar, who asked their government to file an appeal in SC. While Acharya had pointed out arithmetical errors in the judgment, advocate general Kumar told media persons that the judgment had flaws and that he advised the Karnataka government to file an appeal as the sole prosecutor. However, from May 11, there is a 90-day period within which an appeal can be filed.

Meanwhile, BJP leader Subramanian Swamy, who first filed the case against Jayalalithaa in 1996, also said he will move the Supreme Court next month against the acquittal of Jayalalithaa. But on Sunday, the legal cell of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) said that the government need not file an appeal as Karnataka is not an aggrieved party in the case. The legal cell, listing out a number of reasons to not file an appeal, said Karnataka was only carrying out the Supreme Court’s direction on transfer petition to try the case in Karnataka in an administrative capacity.

On Sunday, when Jayalalithaa visited her office at Fort St George to announce Rs 1,800 crore worth development and social welfare schemes, DMK treasurer M K Stalin was addressing a huge gathering of people in Madurai, where he urged people to take on AIADMK for not keeping promises. He said the people of Tamil Nadu are now poised to perform the sacred task of defeating AIADMK in the next election.

On Monday, the CM’s office had announced opening of 16 more Amma Medical Stores across the state where the public can purchase medicines at 15 per cent discount against the market price.