Jaya’s nephew, niece entitled to her assets: HC

Ending the uncertainty over inheritance of vast properties left behind by former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, the Madras High Court declared her nephew J. Deepak and niece J Deepa as Class II legal heirs entitled to all the properties left behind by their aunt. The court made it clear that the State government could not acquire any of the properties without issuing notice to the legal heirs and paying them adequate compensation. Justices N Kirubakaran and Abdul Quddhose allowed an application filed by Deepak and granted a Letter of Administration in favour of him and his sister. They also recorded the siblings’ undertaking that a few properties, to be selected as per their discretion, would be allotted to create a public trust named after Jayalalithaa for welfare activities. Such a trust should be created within eight weeks of the date of receipt of the judgment, the judges ordered. They rejected another case filed by AIADMK functionaries K. Pugazhenthi and P. Janakiraman for appointing them as administrators of the properties left behind by their departed leader. Authoring the verdict, Justice Kirubakaran advised the government to give up its decision to acquire Veda Nilayam, Jayalalithaa’s bungalow at Poes Garden in Chennai, and convert it into a memorial. “Instead of acquiring the said property and paying a heavy compensation, the said amount could be utilised for development purposes... When there are so many essential amenities which are yet to be provided by the welfare state, public money cannot be wasted on memorials,” the court said. It cautioned that if Jaya’s residence was converted into a memorial, every other party that would come to power in the State might use public money to convert the residences of their leaders into memorials.