EO Court dismisses Jaya's petition on wealth case

Chennai, Feb 25 (UNI) The Economic Offences Court-I today dismissed the discharge petition filed by former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, seeking to discharge from the wealth case filed against her by the Income Tax Department.

Economic Offences (EO) Court Judge Premkumar dismissed the petition, holding that the court would decide on the question of discharging her from the case only after going through the documents, evidences and witnesses.

Stating that it was too early as the case was at the preliminary stage, the Judge ordered trial of the case from March 17.

The prosecution case was that Ms Jayalalithaa had willfuly suppressed facts and failed to submit wealth tax returns for the assessment year 1993-94.

After assessing her wealth for the year 1993-94 as Rs 13.50 crore, the department fixed the tax liability as Rs 1.20 crore and interest as Rs 1.92 lakh.

Challenging this, Ms Jayalalithaa filed a discharge petition, but the EO court, without passing order on her petition, had ordered trial.

Aggrieved by this, Ms Jayalalithaa had moved Madras High Court, which had directed the trial court to pass orders on the discharge petition, before ordering trial.

UNI XR/WS AJ MSJ ND1655