Chennai, Oct 3 (IANS) DMK president M. Karunanidhi Friday said the Supreme Court had transferred several cases from one state to another and shifting the disproportionate assets case against Tamil Nadu’s ex-chief minister J. Jayalalithaa was nothing new.

In a statement issued here, he said: “There have been instances where the Supreme Court has transferred cases from one state to another.”

Citing the cases against his son M.K. Alagiri and Kanchi Mutt Seer Jayendra Saraswathi that were transferred to another state, Karunanidhi said in the recent times cases against BJP leader Amit Shah were shifted to Maharastra from Gujarat.

Referring to the shifting of the disproportionate assets case against Jayalalithaa, he said the Supreme Court ordered its transfer from Tamil Nadu as it felt an unbiased judgment would not be possible in the state.

Sep 27, a special court in Bangalore convicted Jayalalithaa to four years in jail and a fine of Rs.100 crore in the case.

During her first tenure (1991-96) as chief minister, Jayalalithaa drew Re.1 as salary. The charge against her was that her assets rose from about Rs.3 crore in 1991 to Rs.66 crore in just five years.

The disproportionate assets case saw several twists and turns. When the AIADMK returned to power in 2001, several witnesses turned hostile.

On DMK leader K. Anbazhagan’s plea, the case was transferred to Bangalore from Chennai.

Jayalalithaa is now lodged in the Bangalore Central Jail.