Team News Riveting
Chennai, October 8
Properties worth over Rs 2000 crore seized by the Income Tax department in Tamil Nadu actually belonged to former Chief Minister late J Jayalalithaa but was under the control of her close aide V K Sasikala.
These assets were purchased in the name of two benamis- VK Sasikala’s sister-in-law Ilavarasi and VN Sudhakaran- who are currently serving their four-year prison term in the disproportionate assets case along with Sasikala.
According to official records compiled after investigation, former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa and Sasikala floated several firms in the names of Sasikala, V N Sudhakaran and J Elavarasi after 1991. During the check-in period from 1991 to 1996, there were no business activities and source of income.
But they were acquiring assets, including land, machinery and buildings. Among other properties, the Kodanad Tea Estate and the Siruthavur bungalow were bought in the name of the three.
The Supreme Court gave a finding that during the check-in period, Sasikala, Elavarasi, Sudhakaran did not have the source of funding and the properties were purchased from Jayalalithaa’s funds in their names.
Attachment proceedings have been initiated under Section 24(3) of the Prohibition of Benami Property Transactions Act. The Income Tax department had sent the copies to Jayalalithaa’s legal heirs J Deepak and Deepa.
The Kodanad tea estate in the Nilgiris district is a 906-acre property, which belonged to British citizen Peter Jones and his family until 1994. Later, it was acquired by Sasikala and her family.
The Siruthavur bungalow was bought in 1991 in the name of Bharani Beach Resorts Private Ltd, a company owned by Sasikala and her relatives. The bungalow is surrounded by 115 acres of casuarina plantation.
The development had come as a big jolt for Sasikala who would probably be released later this month. Though her sentence ends in January, Sasikala’s lawyer feels her term can be reduced by 129 days because of “good conduct.”
After her release, Sasikala would make a desperate attempt to take control over the AIADMK. Soon after the death of Jayalalithaa, Sasikala took charge of the ruling AIADMK and tried to take over as Chief Minister before she was sentenced to jail.
Now, Panneerselvam and Palaiswami are jointly controlling the party and the government against the wishes of Sasikala.
