Jaya assets case: Court stops TN vigilance from further probe

BANGALORE: The Karnataka High Court today quashed the decision of Tamil Nadu vigilance department to conduct further probe into the disproportionate asset case against TN Chief Minister Jayalalithaa.

Allowing the petition by DMK General Secretary K Anbazhagan, in which he had challenged Tamil Nadu Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) from conducting further investigation, Justice V Jagannathan quashed the agency's June 15 2011 decision and directed it to "stop further investigation" into the matter to "meet the ends of justice."

The court made the interim order given by it "absolute," and that no further investigation can be conducted by DVAC.

On July 29, 2011, the Court had granted an interim stay till Aug 4 on further investigation by DVAC and ordered issue of notice to Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) and DVAC, Chennai.

Anbazhagan had alleged that Jayalalithaa and three others and DVAC were "hand in glove" and that the agency's decision to conduct further investigation at this stage of the ongoing trial in a special court in Bangalore was "only an attempt to destroy the evidence already on record."

"In the guise of further investigation under Sec 173(8) of CrPC, it is an attempt to destroy the evidence already on record," the petitioner had alleged.

The court further directed the trial court to follow the Supreme Court directions in the transfer petition.