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Attempt to murder case filed against Jaya

The Madras police have filed a case of attempt to murder against All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazagham chief J Jayalalitha and two others following a complaint filed by her former auditor R Rajsekhar.

Rajsekhar's first information report alleged Jayalalitha, her friend Sasikala and latter's nephew V Mahadevan had beaten him up with high-heeled footwear and a stick.

The case was registered under sections 307 (attempt to murder), 323 (causing hurt with dangerous weapons), 342 (wrongful confinement), 347 (wrongful confinement to extort property or constraining to illegal act) and 385 (putting a person in fear of injury to commit extortion) of the Indian Penal Code and Section 25 of the Arms Act.

Denying the charges, the AIADMK chief, in a statement released on Sunday, alleged that it was a ploy of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi to tarnish her image before the March 16 Supreme Court hearing in the special courts case.

''I am too cultured to indulge in such an uncivilised act,'' she said.

Rajsekhar, who had been the AIADMK chief's auditor for nearly a decade, also alleged that Jayalalitha and Sasikala forced him to write two letters, in English and Tamil, owning up responsibility for 'lapses in the filing of their income tax returns'.

He said he went to Poes Garden after Mahadevan visited his house saying Jayalalitha wanted to meet him. On entering the house, Jayalalitha's present auditor discussed some tax matters and then led him to another room where Jayalalitha, Sasikala and Mahadevan were present.

Rajsekhar alleged that he was asked to sit, when the three started beating him up. He was then forced to sign some papers with revenue stamps acknowledging that he had taken Rs 5 million, he alleged.

He was initially admitted to the Royapettah government hospital but was shifted to a eye hospital due to the injury in his right eye.

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