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Jayalalithaa set to return as CM, calls MLAs' meeting on May 22

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Jayalalithaa

Chennai: AIADMK chief Jayalalithaa is all set to return as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister soon for the fifth time following her acquittal in the disproportionate assets case and has convened a meeting of her party MLAs on May 22.

“Jayalalithaa will be elected unanimously as Leader of the AIADMK Legislature Party in a meeting to be held on May 22 at party headquarters here,” a top AIADMK source told PTI.

Earlier, in a brief press release, announcing the MLA’s meeting, Jayalalithaa said, “All MLAs should participate in the meeting without fail.”

Sources said Jayalalithaa will stake claim to form the government and assume office of chief minister anytime between May 22-24.

Incumbent Chief Minister O Panneerselvam’s Cabinet will resign after getting the instructions of party chief at the appropriate time, they said.

Jayalalithaa first became the chief minister in 1991 with a huge majority in a sensational election which was held after the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi near here by a woman LTTE suicide bomber on May 21, 1991.

Her second stint was from 2001-06 and during this period she was in the thick of handling several issues including the strike of state government employees.

In 2011, she assumed the coveted post of chief minister for the third time trouncing the arch rival DMK which was hit by the 2G Spectrum scandal.

On September 27 last year, a trial court in Bengaluru convicted her in the 19-year old disproportionate assets case which led to her disqualification as an MLA and exit as Chief Minister.

Her trusted lieutenant O Panneerselvam assumed charge as stop-gap chief minister. In similar circumstances, he took on the mantle of chief minister in 2001 and made way for his party supremo Jayalalithaa in 2002.

Decks were cleared for Jayalalithaa’s return as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister after the Karnataka High Court on May 11 acquitted her in the assets case.

The court had set aside her conviction by the trial court and the four-year jail sentence awarded to her and three others.

(PTI)

Subramanian Swamy to move SC against Jayalalithaa's acquittal if Karnataka doesn't do

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Subramanian Swamy (Photo credit: Jagran)

Subramanian Swamy (Photo credit: Jagran)

Bengaluru: Senior BJP leader Subramanian Swamy today said he will move the Supreme Court next month against the acquittal of AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa in a grafts case if the Karnataka government did not do so by then.

“I have decided to file SLP (Special Leave Petition) in SC after June 1st if K’taka govt does not file. So no need to go to KHC (Karnataka High Court),” he tweeted.

The BJP leader’s statement comes two days after he had indicated on micro blogging site ‘Twitter’ that he could file an appeal in the apex court against Jayalalithaa and “prove that the KHC judgment is a ‘tragedy of arithmetic errors'”, adding she would have to resign as Chief Minister if she had taken over by then.

Swamy is the original complainant in the case. He had filed a case in 1996 against Jayalalithaa alleging that during her tenure as Chief Minister from 1991 to 1996, she amassed properties disproportionate to her known sources of income.

The DMK government subsequently filed cases, including the Rs 66.65 crore disproportionate assets case, against Jayalalithaa which led to her conviction in September last by a special court.

The Karnataka High Court acquitted Jayalalithaa on Monday.

(Agencies)

Jayalalithaa ​acquitted in disproportionate assets case by Karnataka HC, AIADMK workers celebrate

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jayalalithaa

Chennai/Bengaluru: As a special bench of the Karnataka High Court is to deliver crucial verdict on former Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa’s appeal against her conviction in a disproportionate assets case, security has been stepped up in Bengaluru on Monday and Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) clamped.

The special high court bench headed by Justice CR Kumaraswamy will pronounce the judgment at 11 am as directed by the Supreme Court, which extended Jayalalithaa’s bail up to May 12.

Here are the LIVE updates —

  • Celebrations inside Courtroom 14 after charges against Jayalalithaa,  N Sasikalaa, J Elavarasi and V N Sudhagaran set aside
  • J Jayalalithaa, all accused acquitted in disproportionate assets case.
  • At most the judge will exercise a discussion whether the punishment should be increased or reduced: Subramanian Swamy (BJP)
  • I expect that conviction will be upheld: Subramanian Swamy (BJP)
  • BV Acharya (Public prosecutor) reaches Karnataka HC: ANI
  • Jayalalithaa’s lawyers have entered Court No 14, verdict expected shortly
  • Supporters gather outside Jayalalithaa’s residence in Chennai as the moment of reckoning draws near.
  • It is not compulsory for Jayalalithaa to be present at the Bengaluru High Court premises, say reports.
  • In my view Honorable Justice Cunhas’s judgement is likely to be upheld: Jayalalithaa’s lawyer Krishnamoorthy
  • Everything should be considered by Justice Kumaraswamy lordship, then the judgment has to be decided: Jayalalithaa’s lawyer Krishnamoorthy
  • AIADMK workers are holding prayers hoping for relief for Jayalalithaa.
  • Ten platoons of the Karnataka State Reserve Police, 500 policemen and 25 senior police officers will be present in and around the high court to ensure peace and prevent any untoward incident. Entry into the high court will also be restricted to avoid crowding: Additional Commissioner of Police Alok Kumar
  • We have deployed additional forces in the city and imposed ban order within 1km radius of the Karnataka High Court from 6am to 9pm on Monday to maintain law and order: Additional Commissioner of Police Alok Kumar
  • Security has been stepped up in Bengaluru ahead of verdict in a disproportionate assets case.

A trial court, headed by special judge John Michael D’Cunha, had on September 27, 2014 convicted and sentenced Jayalalithaa and her three accomplices to a four-year jail term in the Rs 66.65-crore illegal assets case that dragged on for 18 years.

The three co-convicts are Sasikala Natarajan, her nephew VN Sudhakaran and her aunt J Ellavarsi. Sudhakaran is also the disowned foster son of Jayalalithaa.

The apex court on October 17, 2014 had granted interim bail till December 18 to the 67-year-old Jayalalithaa and her three co-convicts. Their bail was subsequently extended till May 12.

The general secretary of Tamil Nadu’s ruling AIADMK had also spent three weeks in the central jail on the city’s outskirts after the high court rejected her bail petition.

(With Agency Inputs)

Karnataka HC to pronounce verdict on appeal filed by Jayalalithaa on Monday

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Jayalalithaa

Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court will pronounce on May 11 its verdict on the appeals filed by former Tamil Nadu chief minister Jayalalithaa and three others challenging their conviction by the trial court in the disproportionate assets case.

“The Special Vacation Single Bench of Justice CR Kumaraswamy is constituted to sit in Court Hall No. 14 at 11:00 AM on Monday – the 11th May 2015 – for pronouncement of Judgment (in the appeals),” a high court notification said here tonight.

Special Court Judge John Michael D’Cunha had on September 27 last year held the AIADMK supremo and three others guilty of corruption and awarded four years jail term, due to which she attracted disqualification as an MLA.

The Judge had also slapped a fine of Rs 100 crore on her and Rs 10 crore each on three other convicts.

Challenging this, the four had filed appeals in the high court where a special bench was set up on the directions of the Supreme Court while granting her bail on December 18 last. The apex court had directed the high court to decide the appeal within three months.

Justice Kumaraswamy, who heard the appeals, had reserved the order on March 11 after defence counsel filed their replies challenging written submissions made by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy, the original complainant in the case.

DMK General Secretary K Anbazhagan, on whose petition the assets case was transferred to Bengaluru from Chennai, had moved the Supreme Court challenging the appointment of G Bhavani Singh as Special Public Prosecutor by Tamil Nadu government for the appeals.

The Supreme Court had on April 27 cleared the decks for pronouncement of the judgement in the case. It held as “bad in law” the appointment of Singh but ruled out fresh hearing in the appeal against her conviction.

After the apex court order, senior advocate BV Acharya was appointed Special Public Prosecutor by Karnataka government and he had on April 29 filed a written submission in the high court praying for dismissal of appeals filed by Jayalalithaa and others.

Apart from Jayalalithaa, her close confidante Sasikala and the latter’s relatives Sudhakaran, erstwhile foster son of the AIADMK leader, and Elavarasi were also convicted.

They were charged with amassing wealth beyond known sources of their income during 1991-96 when Jayalalithaa was Chief Minister for the first time.

(Agencies)

SC extends Jayalalithaa's bail

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jayalalithaa

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday extended the bail of former Tamil Nadu chief minister J. Jayalalithaa and others till the Karnataka High Court disposed of their appeal against her conviction and sentencing in a disproportionate assets case by the special court.

The apex court bench headed by Chief Justice H.L. Dattu also extended till May 12 the time for the high court to pronounce its verdict on Jayalalithaa’s appeal, which was coming to an end on Friday.

The court extended the time after a senior counsel told the court that after the split verdict on the DMK leader’s plea on the appointment of G. Bhavani Singh as special public prosecutor, it has now to be decided by a three-judge bench of the apex court.

It was hoped that the three-judge bench, which is yet to take up the matter, may complete the hearing and decide the matter before May 12.

(IANS)

Kejriwal relaunches Delhi anti-corruption helpline, gets over 12,000 calls in 24 hours

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Arvind Kejriwal

New Delhi: AAP government’s anti-corruption helpline, re-launched on Sunday in Delhi, has received 12,731 calls in 24 hours, with most of them wanting to know about the process of registering a graft case.

“Most of the calls received at helpline were made to inquire about how to register corruption case with the Anti Corruption Branch (ACB). The calls received so far are being analyzed to segregate between frivolous and real calls,” a senior official said on Monday.

On Sunday, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had launched the 24×7 helpline, which can answer over 10,000 calls a day. The made-over re-launch comes after the service, during AAP’s previous stint, could respond to only 1,000 calls a day due to shortage of lines, the official said.

He also said genuine calls, after segregation, would be forwarded to Anti-Corruption Branch for further investigation.

“Some of the calls which have been segregated have already been sent to the ACB for further probe. Cases being forwarded to the ACB include complaints against Delhi Police, Municipal Corporation, Education Department, Transport Department, Jal Board, Delhi Fire etc,” he said.

The data of calls received will be made public on a regular basis for the convenience and information of the public, official said.

In order to strengthen the Anti Corruption Branch, government has increased its strength from 30 to 40 inspectors who work with 40 teams to investigate cases of corruption at any point of time.

Besides increasing its staff strength, Delhi Government has directed to increase the budget allocation to the anti-graft wing to Rs 15 crore from Rs 8 crore.

The official also said the Delhi Dialogue Commission (DDC), an advisory body of the AAP government, will study global practices and define a vision for ACB.

The anti-corruption helpline was first launched during Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) 49-day stint in power after the 2013 Assembly elections, but was later discontinued. Reviving the helpline was one of the poll promises made by the party in 2015.

Last time around 1.2 lakh calls were made on the helpline, during 49 days of AAP’s rule.

(IANS)

Cabinet approves Bill on black money

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BLACK-MONEY

New Delhi: To check black money menace, the Cabinet today approved a new Bill that would give more powers to the tax department in tracking illicit wealth stashed abroad and provide for strict penal actions for such offence.

Sources said that the Cabinet approved the new Bill this evening and it could be presented in Parliament during the ongoing session.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had announced in his Budget speech on February 28 that the government would bring in a comprehensive law to check the black money menace by providing for a jail term of up to 10 years for hiding foreign assets and up to 300 per cent penalty.

Jaitley had also said that a host of other tough measures including dis-incentivising of cash dealings in Real Estate and other transactions would be put in place.

Under the proposed law, concealment of income and assets and evasion of tax in relation to foreign assets will be prosecutable with rigorous imprisonment of up to 10 years, Jaitley had said, while adding that the offence will be made non-compoundable and the offenders will not be permitted to approach the Settlement Commission.

As regards curbing domestic black money, the Finance Minister had said a new and more comprehensive Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Bill would be introduced in the current session of Parliament.

He had also proposed to amend the Income-tax Act to prohibit “acceptance or payment” of an advance of Rs 20,000 or more in cash for purchase of immovable property.

(PTI)

Madhya Pradesh Governor asked to resign after he is named in exam scam

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Madhya Pradesh governor Ramnaresh Yadav.

Madhya Pradesh governor Ram Naresh Yadav.

New Delhi: The governor of Madhya Pradesh, Ram Naresh Yadav, has been asked to go by the home ministry after he was named in an FIR or police complaint in connection with a multi-crore exam scam involving politicians and government officials.

Sources say the home ministry asked the governor to resign on Tuesday night, saying his continuing in the position was untenable.

Mr. Yadav, who has been governor since 2011, has been accused of taking money from candidates applying for the position of Forest Guards in 2013. He has been booked for corruption, misuse of his official position and cheating. 70 others have been named in the case.

Sources have told that the 86-year-old used his letterhead to recommend names of candidates.

According to legal experts, the Special Task Force, which booked the Governor, needs presidential sanction to charge sheet him. His son Shailesh Yadav’s involvement is also being examined by the Special Task Force set up to investigate the case.

The opposition Congress had for days demanded Mr. Yadav’s resignation.

Last week, Mr. Yadav was forced to cut short his speech in the state assembly and leave as the opposition lawmakers kept shouting slogans. Congress activists also clashed with the police as they tried to march to the assembly in protest.

The alleged scam involves the Madhya Pradesh Professional Examination Board or Vyapam, which holds exams for positions like medical officers, constables, teachers and auditors for government departments. Candidates allegedly bribed government officials to make it to the list of those who cleared the test, without taking the exam.

Former Technical Education Minister Lakshmi Kant Sharma and four other officials of the Madhya Pradesh Professional Examination Board have also been named. All the five are currently in jail.

(Agencies)

AAP to appoint AIIMS whistleblower Sanjiv Chaturvedi as Delhi anti-corruption chief

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Sanjiv Chaturvedi to head Delhi's anti corruption bureau

Sanjiv Chaturvedi to head Delhi’s anti corruption bureau

New Delhi: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) plans to appoint as Delhi’s top anti-corruption officer a man who was recently shunted out by the central government. Sanjiv Chaturvedi, who was removed as vigilance chief of AIIMS hospital, will head the Delhi anti-corruption bureau.

Chaturvedi, an Indian Forest Service officer who had uncovered several scams while posted in Haryana, was removed from the post of Chief Vigilance Officer at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in August last year. His sacking led to a huge protest by AAP which accused the Modi government of removing him at the behest of some BJP leaders.

Chaturvedi’s removal had also drawn parallels with the repeated transfers of IAS officer Ashok Khemka, who had exposed a series of corruption cases in Haryana.

The AAP Cabinet, which will be sworn-in on Saturday at the Ramlila Maidan, is expected to make the decision next week.

(Agencies)

Black money: Names of account holders revealed

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The information had been given by HSBC itself following negotiations between the bank and Indian Income-Tax authorities.

The information had been given by HSBC itself following negotiations between the bank and Indian Income-Tax authorities.

New Delhi: A Delhi-based newspaper on Monday revealed names of Indians holding black money accounts abroad.

The list includes names of businessmen, politicians and their families.

This revelation comes ahead of the government’s decision to reveal names of 60 Indians and entities holding black money accounts as reported in the HSBC bank’s Geneva branch list.

Armed with information received about its citizens holding secret accounts in Swiss banks, India has been seeking details from Switzerland, but most of these requests were being stonewalled by the European nation on the ground of those being based on stolen data.

Here’s the list published by The Indian Express newspaper on Monday: http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/the-list-whos-who-how-much/

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