A special court in Bengaluru has directed the transfer of valuables seized from former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister late J. Jayalalithaa to the government of the neighbouring State.
The Tamil Nadu government will then take necessary action on the disposal of these gold and diamond jewellery, which were part of the material evidence in the disproportionate assets case against Jayalalithaa and others.
The trial was held in Karnataka on the direction of the Supreme Court and, therefore, all material evidence is in the Karnataka treasury now under the custody of the court.
Judge H.A. Mohan presiding over the XXXII Additional City Civil & Sessions court passed the order on Monday, January 23, 2024.
The court had earlier held that the kins of Jayalalithaa were not entitled to the properties which are confiscated by the State. The Special CBI Court had thus rejected the petition filed by J. Deepa and J. Deepak, the niece and nephew of Jayalalithaa, respectively.
Ordering transfer of the jewels to the Tamil Nadu government, the Special Court judge said: “Instead of auctioning the jewels, it is better to transfer the same to Tamil Nadu by handing over the same through the Department of Home, State of Tamil Nadu.”
Payment of ₹5 crore to Karnataka
The Court then issued the direction that the Tamil Nadu Home Department authorise “competent persons preferably in the rank of Secretary along with police to come and collect the jewels.”
In the same order, the Special Court ordered the payment of ₹5 crore to Karnataka for the expenses of the trial conducted in the State. The payment will be made from a fixed deposit in an account related to Jayalalithaa in the State Bank of India branch in Chennai.
The disproportionate assets trial against Jayalalithaa, her former close aide V Sasikala, V.N. Sudhakaran, who is the disowned foster son of Jayalalithaa, and Sasikala's sister-in-law J. Ilavarasi was conducted by the Special Court in Bengaluru.
