Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa and her close aide Sasikala failed to turn up before the Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (Economic Offences-I) here on Thursday in connection with some income tax cases, and the court directed them to appear on April 28 without fail.
On April 3, Additional CMM R. Dakshinamurthy directed the accused to be present in the court. While two cases pertained to non-filing of income tax returns against Ms. Jayalalithaa and Ms. Sasikala, two other cases were filed against them for not filing income tax returns as partners of Sasi Enterprises.
Revision petition
When the matter came up for hearing, the two were not present. Counsel filed petitions seeking adjournment. In the petition, it was stated that a revision petition had been filed before the Madras High Court against the order of the Additional CMM under Section 313 (5) of the Cr. PC and also that an application had been filed before the Supreme Court seeking extension of time for completion of trial in the cases. The petitions were pending before the higher courts.
Counsel prayed the court to adjourn the case by three weeks.
This was opposed by the department.
After hearing the arguments, the Additional CMM said he was inclined to allow the adjournment petition and granted two weeks’ time for further proceedings. “Hence, the case is adjourned to April 28 for questioning under Section 313 (1) (a) (power to examine the accused) of the Cr.PC and for answering the charges to be framed. The accused are directed to appear for hearing on April 28 without fail,” the court said.
