Jayalalithaa withdraws her plea from SC in tax evasion case

Bhopal, Mar 13 (UNI) Former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa today withdraw her petition, pending in the Supreme Court, in a case related to the alleged evasion of income tax by her during the year 1996.

A Bench, comprising Justices S H Kapadia and B Sudershan Reddy permitted her to withdraw her petition when her counsel submitted before the court that she wanted to pursue the case in the trial court.

The apex court, however, directed the Income Tax Tribunal, Chennai to proceed with the case on merits, without being influenced by any observation made by this court during the hearing of the case.

According to allegations made by the Commissioner of Incomr Tax, Chennai, J Jayalalithaa did not file her income tax return for several years despite having taxable income and therefore she is liable to be prosecuted for concealment of her income.

Jayalalithaa appealed in the Supreme Court against the Madras High Court judgement which dismissed her petition for quashing of the proceedings launched by the Income Tax Department against her.

UNI SC GT RN1609