The Supreme Court today reserved its verdict on an application of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa seeking transfer of trial of disproportionate assets cases against her to Pondicherry apprehending that she would not get fair trial as a ‘‘hostile and surcharged’’ atmosphere prevailed in Karnataka.A bench comprising Justice S.N. Variava and Justice H.K. Sema reserved its verdict after her counsel offered to amend her plea saying justice would be done if the case was transferred to any state in India other than Karnataka.The same bench had allowed a petition filed by a DMK general secretary and transferred the trial of the Rs 66 crore disproportionate assets cases against her from a Chennai to Karnataka fearing that the manner in which the trial was being conducted gave rise to apprehension that justice would not be done.Jaya’s counsel said the history of the tussle between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu over the sharing of Cauvery river water has led to acrimony between the two states and pleaded that Jayalalithaa would not feel a fair trial would be conducted in the atmosphere prevailing there. Opposing the plea, DMK leader’s counsel said Jayalalithaa was mixing politics with judiciary.
