IT case: Jaya, Sasi's plea dismissed

Chennai, Jun 14 (UNI) A Magistrate Court today dismissed the discharge petitions filed by former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa and her close aide Sasikala in the case relating to non-filing of Income Tax returns for the assessment year 1993-94.

After hearing the arguments of the defence and proseuction, Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (Economic Offences-I) J V Raj said he was dismissing the petition.

Mr Raj had reserved his orders and posted the matter for today after hearing the submissions of defence counsel and counsel for the Income Tax Department on whether charges could be framed against Ms Jayalalithaa and Ms Sasikalaa in the case. Both sides completed their arguments in pursuance of the March 2006 orders of the Supreme Court.

In his submissions, the prosecution had said the default of Ms.

Jayalalithaa and Ms Sasikalaa continued even 13 years after their failure to file returns as they were yet to comply with the statutory requirement.

In the case of Ms Jayalalithaa, the department had issued three reminders in addition to statutory notices and there was no response.

Describing it as ''statutory disobedience amounting to wilful failure to file the returns of income,'' he said the need to frame charges against the accused arose automatically.

However, the defence denied it was wilful failure. He submitted Ms Jayalalithaa, who was Chief Minister as well as the general secretary of the AIADMK, was busy with official and party work.

UNI