With just a day to go for expelled AIADMK leader V.K. Sasikala’s arrival in Chennai, the Tamil Nadu government on Sunday confiscated the properties of J. Ilavarasi and V.N. Sudhakaran, kin of Sasikala and her co-convicts in the disproportionate assets case. On Sunday, just hours before Sasikala was all set to leave Bengaluru after completing her four-year jail term, the Chennai collectorate issued orders for confiscation of properties purchased in the name of Lex Properties, belonging to Ilavarasi and Sudhakaran, in compliance with the 2017 Supreme Court order.
Nearly 6000 sq ft land and buildings with constructed areas of 4300 sq ft in Chennai have been confiscated. With the confiscation, according to a press statement issued by the state information department, necessary changes have been effected in the records and “properties are vested with the government now”. The income from the properties, including rent and pending rent, would accrue to the government. The properties confiscated include buildings in Wallace Garden Street, one of Chennai’s most swanky areas.
It has been four years since the Supreme court upheld the trial court order in the disproportionate assets case against Jayalalithaa, her close aide V.K. Sasikala, J. Ilavarasi and Sudhakaran. The Tamil Nadu government has confiscated six properties belonging to Ilavarasi and Sudhakaran. It was in May 2018 that the Tamil Nadu government initiated the process of confiscation by commencing physical verification of the 68 properties located in six districts, including Chennai and Nilgiris.
In March 2017, a month after Sasikala was jailed, the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC), the prosecuting agency in the case, wrote to the collectors of all six districts to take possession of the properties which were already attached in the 20-year old wealth case. The Michael D. Cunha court, in 2014, had ordered that all the immovable properties registered in the names of Lex Property Developments Pvt Ltd, Meadow Agro Farms Pvt Ltd, Ramaraj Agro Mills Pvt Lts, Signora Business Enterprises Pvt Ltd, Riverway Agro Products Pvt Ltd and Indo Doha Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals Ltd, which were attached in two government orders, be confiscated by the government.
In 2017, soon after Sasikala, Ilavarasi and Sudhkaran walked into the Parappana Aghrahara prison, the confiscation of properties in the case was a priority. This was because the Supreme Court had imposed a fine of Rs 10 crore each on Sasikala and others. Apart from the paying of the fine amount, the state government had to credit Rs 5 crore to the account of state of Karnataka for conducting the case.
While six of the properties have been confiscated now, it is to be seen if all other properties, belonging to Sasikala and Jayalalithaa, including a portion of her Poes Garden residence and the sprawling Kodanad Tea Estate, which were also named as disproportionate assets in the court order, will be confiscated now. Apart from the 68 properties are the movables including her jewellery and other valuables, which are also mentioned in the trial court order. Though the confiscation of all properties need not happen in one go, the timing of the action raises many eyebrows.
Meantime, the ruling AIADMK government has taken all measures to ensure Sasikala, on her return from Bengaluru, doesn’t go to the AIADMK party headquarters or visit Jayalalithaa memorial, or that even her supporters don’t put up banners to welcome her.