DMK leader M. Karunanidhi on Saturday urged the Karnataka government to file an appeal in the Supreme Court against the order of Justice K.R. Kumaraswamy absolving former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa and four others from the disproportionate wealth case to dispel doubts about its motive.
“There are reports that there is an attempt to dissuade the Karnataka government from going against the order of Justice Kumaraswamy. In democracy, we have a duty to protect society. As the State government is also eligible for filing an appeal it should immediately go ahead with it,” Mr. Karunandihi said in a statement.
Even though Ms. Jayalalithaa was fully aware that an appeal would be filed in the Supreme Court, she was planning to assume office as the Chief Minister. Mr. Karunanidhi said most of the political parties that had pressed for an appeal had also expressed doubts about the approach of the BJP government at the Centre vis-à-vis the case because Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself had congratulated Ms. Jayalalithaa on her acquittal.
“External Affairs Minster Sushma Swaraj also congratulated her while another Union Minister Pon. Radhakrishnan has said he wanted to see her as Chief Minister again. Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley called on her before the judgment was delivered,” he said.
Elangovan’s
allegation
He recalled TNCC president E.V.K.S. Elangovan’s allegation that the BJP government had played a role in Ms. Jayalalithaa getting a favourable order from the Karnataka High Court.
Judge’s
contradiction
Mr Karunanidhi contended that Justice Kumaraswamy had contradicted himself in the judgment because during the hearing of the case he raised doubts about the source of crores of rupees spent for the marriage of Ms Jayalalithaa’s foster son V.N. Sudhakaran.
“But in his order he has said only a few lakhs were spent,” he said.
Expresses doubts about the approach of the BJP-led
Union government