June 25, 2007
Being a political bigwig did not help former Tamil Nadu CM, J Jayalalithaa from being in the spotlight again for the third time in a row over her real estate transactions. The recent controversy is over her alleged interests in Kodanad Tea Estate, alleged to house a building constructed in violation of existing property laws in India.
The Kodanad Panchayat has sought the building’s approved plan and ownership documents and all transactional documents pertaining to the property.
According to a PIL filed by K M Raju against the AIADMK leader, the building houses 90 rooms flouting the norms of Panchayat Act and Building Act of Tamil Nadu Panchayat. Even while Madras High Court has refused to entertain the PIL, stating ambiguity, this issue has again brought to light the fact that politically and economically sound personalities still flout all property laws and go scot-free.
This is the third instance when J Jayalalithaa has been entangled in property litigation. The prior two instances involve alleged encroachment of government land allotted to Dalits for making a weekend retreat for herself and acquisition of 8.10 acre property supposedly not for sale. Even her party office in Chennai is under demolition notice due to allegations that it has been built in violation with building control acts.
It now remains to be seen how the Indian judicial system responds and how strict an approach is taken to discourage such floundering of laws by the law makers themselves. Two things come to light when such cases are reported against - one is that no one is bigger than law and that no one is spared litigation charges. The second most alarming trend is the rate of conviction in such cases - which is abysmally low.