BENGALURU: After being convicted in a disproportionate assets case, AIADMK general secretary VK Sasikala was sent to jail after she surrendered before a special court at Parappana Argrahara central jail, outside Bengaluru. The special court had sentenced Sasi and a co-accused to four years jail terms in September 2014, which was upheld by the Supreme Court last week.
Sasikala and Ilavarasi arrived at the court in the evening and surrendered before Judge Aswatha Narayana. The procedure that lasted for an hour, saw the AIADMK leader walk to the jail after. "It was a due procedure and the accused completed the required formalities," said SND Kulasekaran, counsel for Sasikala. Another accused, Sudhakaran arrived in the court later. Navaneetha Krishnan, AIADMK Rajya Sabha member and Sasi supporter, said, "The immediate requirement was to surrender before the court and Sasikala has complied with the order." Senior AIADMK leader and Deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha, M Tambidurai who arrived in Bengaluru and consulted Sasikala's lawyers, who suggested filing plea before the trial court seeking extension of time on the grounds of her poor health condition.
However, the strategy had to be recaliberated after the SC rejected the plea. "We intend to pass no further orders after directing her to surrender immediately. Hope you understand the meaning of immediately, Mr Tulsi?" Justice Ghose asked Sasikala's advocate KTS Tulsi. "We don't intend to change a word of that order." The lawyers submitted before the special court that Sasikala should be given Class-1 facility in the jail and her health condition, including diabetes and age-relates issued should be taken into consideration, but the court rejected her plea for special treatment. Karnataka police had made elaborate security arrangements in the areas surrounding the jail. Given its close proximity to Tamil Nadu border, security has been tightened up. Five platoons of Karnataka State Reserve Police were deployed.
SC orders seizure of Jaya's assets
Jayalalithaa's death may have abated the criminal case against her, but her properties and bank accounts, including those of Sasikala and two others, will not escape confiscation and forfeiture to realise the £10 million fine imposed on her by the trial court. A Supreme Cour bench said, “We are of the opinion that the order of confiscation/forfeiture of properties standing in the name of six companies, as involved, made by the trial court is unexceptionable.” The SC upheld the trial court order imposing a fine of £1 million each on Sasikala, Sudhakaran and Elavarasi, who were also sentenced to four years imprisonment.
