Bangalore: Even as the Supreme Court granted two weeks time to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa, along with other accused in the disproportionate assets case, to file their response to the Karnataka government’s stand that the services of special judge M.S. Balakrishna could not be extended beyond September 30, the Special Court hearing the case in Banglore on Thursday further adjourned it to November 27.
The state government had contended that the special judge who was hearing the case, could not be extended in view of his unwillingness to continue, when he retired.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minster and three other accused — V.K. Sasikala V.N. Sudhakaran and J. Elavarasi, accused in the Rs 66 crore disproportionate assets case had challenged before Supreme Court the notification issued by the state government appointing G.B. Mudigoudar, to conduct as Special Judge in a Bangalore court from October 1.
Though the Supereme Court had requested the Karnataka High Court to extend the services of M.S.Balakrishna, the latter had written to the Registrar of Karnataka High Court, expressing his unwillingness to continue after superannuation of his service on September 30. Following the communication, M.S. Balakrishna was relieved on October 1.
The state had provisionally appointed G.B. Mudigoudar as the Presiding Officer to take charge and later issued notification appointing John Michael Cunha as the special judge to conduct the trial of the disproportionate assets cases against Jayalalithaa, who assumed charge on November 7.
