Justice done: Probe officers

Chennai: The retired director general of police, Letika Saran, the first woman DGP (law and order) of Tamil Nadu was deputy inspector general at Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) when she had opened up the disproportionate asset (DA) case against former chief minister Jayalalithaa in 1996, on which the Supreme Court confirmed punishment for ex-CM's aide V.K. Sasikala, her relatives Sudhakaran and Ilavarasi on Tuesday. While she opened the case with preliminary probe it was N. Nallamma Naidu, now retired SP, who registered the case and took it to the logical end.  

“What I did was a preliminary investigation, which is a must in DVAC procedures, before registering the FIR, based on a court order after Subramanian Swamy, who approached the court saying that Jayalalithaa had amassed wealth during her tenure from the year 1991 to 1996,” Letika Saran told this newspaper on Tuesday.  

Swamy, in his complaint, had said that Jaya's wealth which was nil in the year 1989-90 which increased to Rs 38.21 crore during 94-95 though she was receiving only Rs. 1/- salary as Chief Minister. Initially the probe was against Jaya only, but other three were included in the accused list after DVAC team led by Naidu raided Jaya's residence later.

Letika Saran pointed out that after the preliminary probe, a case was registered and the case was handed over to then ADSP N.Nallamma Naidu. “He helped me in the initial probe as well,” she said.

According to her not every case ends in conviction. “As police officers we are supposed to do our best in every case. It may end in conviction or in acquittal. We are not supposed to get excited or depressed over it,” she noted.

Letika Saran had, during her investigation, collected records and documents from various banks, registration offices and from the registrar of firms pertaining to the investments and properties standing in the name of Jayalalithaa and others. But Nallamma Naidu had collected all the evidences to prove the corruption, she noted.

Nallamma Naidu retired as SP, now 79, had systematically worked on the case to bring it to a logical end. He never buckled under pressure and now feels that that finally justice triumphed.

“Neethi (justice) ventrathu (triumphed),” he said on Tuesday.  Naidu had always maintained that he was not guided by then rulers (DMK) and believed that it was genuine case and worked on it.

It was after Jayalalithaa's anticipatory bail application was rejected on December 6, 1996 and she was sent to jail the next day that Naidu conducted search of at Jaya's  Poes Garden residence. During the search, DVAC team seized around 30 kg of gold, 500 kg of silver, over 100 wrist watches, more than 150 curios and semi-precious stones, besides a wardrobe of thousands of saris and over 200 pairs of footwear.

Only after collecting these evidences Sasikala, Sudhakaran and Ilavarasi were brought into the case. In January of 1997, Naidu made an application to the Special Judge for addition of A-2, 3 and 4 as co-accused and for incorporation of additional offences u/Sec. 120-B of Indian Penal Code r/w Sec.13 (2) and 13 (1)(e) of PC Act, 1988 and Sec.109 of IPC.