AG’s past legal services to Jaya lands him in fix

CHENNAI, JAN 20: ``.... I would have certainly considered your `humble request' about my not appearing for the Government of India in fut...

CHENNAI, JAN 20: “…. I would have certainly considered your `humble request’ about my not appearing for the Government of India in future in cases in which former Chief Minister J Jayalalitha is concerned. But you have complicated matters and vitiated the atmosphere…..” Attorney General Soli Sorabjee has said in a letter addressed to senior advocate R Gandhi recently.

The A-G charged Gandhi of complicating matters by shooting off representations and further by holding a press conference in Chennai at which what he called baseless allegations contained in the representation were repeated. It is truly regrettable, he stated.

A section of advocates led by Gandhi on January 8 had urged the A-G and Additional Solicitor General C S Vaidyanathan to refrain from appearing in the case pending against Jayalalitha in the Supreme Court in view of their `inconsistent’ stance with regard to transfer of the corruption cases to the three special courts in Chennai.

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They urged the Bar Association, Delhi, to pass aresolution condemning the `unethical behaviour’ of the two highest law officers and the Bar Council of India to initiate appropriate action against them for their `unprofessional conduct’.

Sorabjee, in his letter to Gandhi stated that after becoming A-G, he had not appeared for Jayalalitha in any case nor given her any advice in respect of her cases. He had also not appeared for the Central Government in any case relating to Jayalalitha in the Madras High Court or in the Supreme Court except in the clarificatory application filed by the Centre on December 17, 1998.

There is no question of the Union Government changing its stance at his `behest’ or his doing anything to help out Jayalalitha. All these allegations are totally unwarranted. “I am pained that as a professional brother, you did not care to speak to me or write to me and ascertained the correct position before levelling wild and baseless allegations. Coming from you, I would have certainly considered your `humble request’ about my not appearingfor the Centre in future in cases in which Jayalalitha is concerned. But you have complicated matters and vitiated the atmosphere……” Sorabjee said.

DMK resorting to witch-hunting: BJP

BJP general secretary M Venkaiah Naidu today alleged that the DMK Government in Tamil Nadu was indulging in a witch-hunting campaign against AIADMK general secretary J Jayalalitha, instead of concentrating on governance.

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“Most of the time the Government is doing only witch-hunting against the lady,” he said and wondered why the DMK Government, which was purportedly keen on rooting out corruption, had remained silent over the multi-crore Indian Bank scam. On the Central Government’s sudden opposition to the special courts set up to try cases against Jayalalitha and her erstwhile Cabinet colleagues, he said the Centre was not creating any legal hurdle for the speedy disposal of the cases.