Charges Framed Against Sasikala In Connection With FERA Violation Case:- Charges have been framed today against the ousted AIADMK General Secretary V K Sasikala by an Economic Offences Court, in connection with a Foreign Exchange Regulation Act (FERA) violation case.

The AIADMK General Secretary who is currently lodged in the Parapanna Agraharam jail in Bengaluru, appeared before the Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (Economic Offence-I) A Zakir Hussain through video conferencing from the jail.

Sasikala has been lodged ever since her conviction in February in the disproportionate assets case. The FERA case relates to the alleged violations in transactions. It includes the payments for a transponder and up linking charges for the erstwhile JJ TV channel. The prosecution alleged that the payments were illegally sent off to the US-based Rimsat through firms having network in the Philippines and Singapore.

The Enforcement Directorate in 1995 and 1996 on charges of violating FERA launched a prosecution against Sasikala, her relative V Bhaskaran and J J TV (now defunct).

In May, the court had allowed Sasikala to appear before it through video conferencing from prison. On February 15, after she surrendered before a trial court at Bengaluru, a day after the Supreme Court restored her conviction in the disproportionate assets case, the ousted AIADMK General Secretary was sent to jail.

SUPRAJA