New Delhi: The Supreme Court has refused to restrain the Karnataka high court from passing its verdict on the appeal filed by former Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa and others in a disproportionate assets case.
A bench of Justices Madan B Lokur and R Banumathi turned down DMK general secretary K Anbazhagan's plea that the HC should be directed not to pass its verdict till the apex court decides his plea challenging continuance of special public prosecutor Bhavani Singh in the appeal before the HC.
The HC had on March 11 reserved its order after wrapping up hearing in the case. Senior advocate T R Andhyarujina, appearing for Anbazhagan, alleged that the prosecutor was “hand-in-glove“ with the accused and his continuance would cause “perversion of justice.” He said the prosecutor did not oppose Jayalalithaa's plea for suspension of sentence and bail during hearing.
He added it was the state's duty, where a matter was transferred, to appoint the prosecutor. Since the Karnataka government did not appoint Singh, the TN government notified his appointment. “The appeal is vitiated because of this man's presence. The public prosecutor has no authority to argue in the case,” Andhyarujina told the bench.
