Sasikala to attend proceedings via video conference in FERA case

The case relates to alleged violations in transactions including remittances for a transponder and up-linking charges for the erstwhile J J TV channel.

Chennai, Apr 5: AIADMK chief V K Sasikala, who was convicted by the Supreme Court in a disproportionate assets case and is now lodged in a Bengaluru jail, has offered to attend the court proceedings via video conference in the FERA case against her.

A memo to this effect was filed on her behalf in the Economic Offences Court-I at Egmore on Wednesday by her counsel. Though she was discharged by the EO Court in May 2015 in the 20-year-old FERA case, the judgement was overturned by the Madras High Court last month. The case relates to alleged violations in transactions including remittances for a transponder and up-linking charges for the erstwhile J J TV channel.

It was alleged by the prosecution that the payments were illegally routed to the US-based Rimsat through firms having network in Philippines and Singapore. After the case was remitted to the trial court, the judge is set to frame charges.

Citing health and security issues, Sasikala's counsel submitted that the proceedings to frame charges could be held through video conference. After taking the submission on record, the judge posted the matter to April 10, asking Enforcement Directorate to file its counter-affidavit by then.

Meanwhile, Economic Offences Court-II hearing a FERA violation case against AIADMK deputy general secretary TTV Dinakaran, Sasikala's nephew, disallowed his adjournment request and directed that he be present in court on April 10. He had sought adjournment in view of the April 12 RK Nagar bypoll in which he is the ruling party's nominee.

On March 27, the EO court-II had rejected his plea to defer trial proceedings by six weeks. Challeging it, he moved the Madras high court to get it quashed and the matter is coming up for hearing on Thursday again.

PTI