Supreme Court refuses to extend Sasikala surrender deadline

The Supreme Court on Wednesday rejected All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) general secretary VK Sasikala’s request for more time to surrender before a Bengaluru trial court, which convicted her in a Disproportionate Assets (DA) case.

“We intend to pass no further orders after directing her to surrender immediately. ‘Hope you understand the meaning of immediately Mr Tulsi?’” Justice PC Ghose asked Sasikala’s advocate KTS Tulsi who cited health reasons for seeking more time.

“Sorry. We have already written everything in the fatty judgement and it says forthwith. We do not intend to pass any order on this. We are not going to change anything in the judgement,” a bench headed by Justice Ghose said.

On Tuesday, quashing Karnataka High Court’s acquittal, the SC bench restored the conviction against former Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalitha, Sasikala, her sister-in-law Ilavarasi and nephew VN Sudhakaran for criminal abetment in amassing properties worth more than Rs666.5 million (Dh36.59 million).

The bench agreed that Sasikala had, in the early 90s, accumulated an illicit fortune with Jayalalitha, who died in December.

Sasikala will serve time in the same prison in Bengaluru where she was imprisoned with Jayalalitha in 2014 before the two women were acquitted.

Before appealing to the court, Sasikala on Wednesday re-inducted into the party her two male relatives — S. Venkatesh and TTV Dhinakaran — who had been expelled by Jayalalitha for a conspiracy against her. She elevated Dhinakaran to the position of deputy general secretary.

Justifying Dinakaran’s return to the party, Sasikala said he has “apologised in writing and in person”.

Meanwhile, on way to Bengaluru to surrender, Sasikala stopped at the memorial of Jayalalitha and made what her party called a “mighty vow”. She paid floral tributes to Jayalalitha and went around the burial site. She thumped the tomb thrice, as if taking a pledge, and prostrated thrice.

Police is escorting Sasikala to Bengaluru.

The DA case centred on whether Jayalalitha misused her first term as chief minister in the 1990s to accumulate a vast fortune of real estate, cash and jewellery through several companies, which were owned by Sasikala and her relatives.

On February 5, the AIADMK partysaid Sasikala was to take over as chief minister to complete the transfer of power to her from Jayalalitha. First, Sasikala was named general secretary of the party and later named for promotion to the position of chief minister

source : gulfnews