SC refuses to stay Jayalalithaa land grabbing case

New Delhi, Jan 25 (UNI) The Supreme Court today refused to stay the inquiry into the alleged land grabbing by former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa during her tenure in office.

A bench comprising Chief Justice KG Balakrishnan and Justice RV Raveendran fixed February 8 for hearing the petition filed by T Chitra seeking stay on the ongoing inquiry by a retired Madras High Cour Judge.

Ms Jayalalithaa has, however, denied the land belonged to her as it was a case of benami transaction.

The Karunanidhi government had issued a notification on July 26, 2006, on a complaint filed by CPM , ordering a judicial inquiry by a retired Madras High Court judge into the alleged grabbing of land by certain persons, which was assigned to Adia Dravidars and the landless poor by the government in 1967.

The petitioner had also alleged that the inquiry cannot be ordered on the basis of vague allegations and hearsay evidence apart from not appreciating the crucial issues highlighting the unconstitutionality and illegality in the appointment of the commission, which cannot be done without prior approval of the state government.

The petitioner had also alleged that fishing/roving inquiry was nothing more than witch hunting and smacked of political vendetta.

The petitioner had prayed to the apex court to quash the impugned notification issued by DMK government ordering a judicial inquiry into the alleged land grabbing.

The inquiry is aimed at identifying the persons and public servants involved in land grabbing belonging to the poor and landless.

UNI AKS/SC AM AS1800