NEW DELHI, FEB 28: The Supreme Court on Monday issued notice to All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) chief Jayalalitha on an appeal by Tamil Nadu Government challenging the Madras High Court order which upheld the trial court verdict discharging her from Rs 6.5 crore coal import scam of 1992. A division Bench comprising Justices K T Thomas and M B Shah heard counsel for the State Government Shanti Bhushan in detail about evidence against her in the case before issuing the notice returnable by three weeks. A Chennai special court had, on June 16, 1999, discharged Jayalalitha and her former Cabinet colleague V R Nedunchezhian, since deceased, but had framed charges against nine other accused in the case. The High Court on January 13 this year had dismissed a review petition filed by the State challenging her discharge from the case. Bhushan contended that the trial court had discharged the former Chief Minister ignoring "overwhelming evidence" linking her to the conspiracy to import coal at a higher price which resulted in a loss to the tune of over Rs 6 crore to the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB). The counsel contended that the coal was imported depsite the then Union Coal Minister P A Sangma writing to Jayalalitha that the coal stock position of TNEB was more than sufficient to meet the demands from the three power plants in the State.
