Personal appearance of Sengottaiyan dispensed with in gift case

Chennai, May 18 (UNI) A Special Court, trying CBI cases, today dispensed with the personal appearance of former AIADMK Minister K A Sengottaiyan, for further proceedings in the Rs two crore gift case.

Principal Special Judge S Meenakshi sundaram allowed the petition filed by Sengottaiyan, under section 205 of CRPC to dispense with his appearance before the Court, for the case in which former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa is the prime accused.

The Judge had on May 15 posted for orders the petition filed by Sengottaiyan to May 18 while posting further hearing on the case to June 11, after he appeared before the Court in person and collected the copies of the chargesheet.

Earlier, Mr N Jyothi, counsel for Jayalalithaa collected copies of chargesheet on her behalf while Alagu Thirunavukarasu, the other accused appeared in person and collected the copies of the chargesheet.

According to CBI, Ms Jayalalithaa during her tenure as Chief Minister between 1991 and 1996, received 89 Demand Drafts from 57 persons to the tune of Rs two crore as gifts on the occasion of her birthday in 1992.

Ms Jayalalithaa was charged under section 11 of Prevention of Corruption Act (PCA) (Public servant barred from receiving valuables from persons with whom he/she had official dealings) and the other two Sengottaiyan and Alagu Thirunavukarasu, the then Ministers were charged under section 12 of PCA (abetting the commission of an offence).

UNI