The High Court of Karnataka on Tuesday stayed until March 26, the process of handing over the confiscated gold ornaments of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister late J. Jayalalithaa to the authorised officers of the T.N. State government.
Justice Mohammad Nawaz passed the interim order on a petition filed by J. Deepa, niece and legal heir of late Jayalalithaa.
A special court in Bengaluru was scheduled to hold proceedings on March 6 and 7, 2024, to hand over the ornaments confiscated in the disproportionate assets case against Jayalalitha and others to the authorised officers of the TN government.
The petitioner had questioned the July 12, 2023, order passed by the special court in rejecting her plea for releasing the confiscated properties/ assets in the disproportionate assets in favour of her and her brother, J. Deepak. The special court had held that properties confiscated on conviction of the accused persons will have to be handed over the TN government.
However, it has been claimed in the petition that the trial court failed to appreciate the fact that the proceedings against late Jayalalithaa were abated before the apex court, and hence, she has to be treated as ‘acquitted’ in the case as the earlier order of the High Court of Karnataka acquitting her in the case, was in operation at the time of her death.
