Thursday, April 27 2006 10:26 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Chennai: The Madras High Court yesterday (Apr 26, 2006) stayed the proceedings on a petition filed by Chief Minister Jayalalithaa and her associate Sasikala in the Court of Small Causes seeking to quash an order attaching their property.

Judge M Jaypaul instructed the Chief Judge of Court of Small Causes not to deal with the petitions while allowing a stay plea filed by DMK general secretary K Anbazhagan.

He said Jayalalithaa and Sasikala were given liberty to approach the Special Court at Bangalore, to where the wealth cases against them were transferred.

Judge M Jayapaul said the case at the Court of Small Causes was proceeding behind the back of the special public prosecutor appointed by the Karnataka government for these wealth cases in Bangalore.

Jayalalithaa, Sasikala, her relatives V N Sudhakaran,Ilavarasi and others had filed a petition in the Court of Small Causes here praying to lift the attachment of their property by the court in a wealth-related case.

Anbazhagan in his petition filed in the High Court said the present proceedings in the Court of Small Causes is taking place without the consultation of the special public prosecutor appointed by the Karnataka government to look into the wealth cases against Jaya and Sasikala which were transferred as per a Supreme Court order.

He contended that the Chief Judge of the Court of Small Causes does not have jurisdiction on the petition seeking lifting the order of property attachment.

"There was reasonable apprehension and likelihood of failure of justice in the minds of the public", he added.