Tags:
Journalism of Courage
CHENNAI, July 17: Former TN CM J Jayalalitha today personally received a copy of the chargesheet in the Pleasant Stay Hotel Case, in which she is the main accused, amidst high drama involving her close associate N Sasikala, who was brought into the presence of the Special Judge, S Sambandham, on a stretcher. Jayalalitha’s erstwhile foster son and Sasikala’s nephew, V N Sudhagaran, and Illavarasi, a relative of Sasikala, other accused in the case, were also given copies of the chargesheet at the court. The Judge, who insisted that Sasikala be brought into the courtroom, referred her to the Dean of the Government General hospital for observation by a panel of doctors, to determine if she was in a position to understand the proceedings. The judge took the step following his failure to elicit a response from Sasikala, who had her eyes closed. His order was hotly contested by the counsels for Jayalalitha and Sasikala, but, the judge, dissatisfied with the halting identification of himself by a dazed-looking Sasikala, let his order stand, and adjourned the case to August 8.
