About 10,500 sarees — 750 were woven from pure silk — 750 pairs of footwear and hundreds of watches among other valuables that belonged to her, had hogged headlines when they were seized following investigations into the Rs 66.6-crore disproportionate assets case against her.

On Wednesday, replying to a prosecution question how she acquired these articles, Jayalalitha was quoted as having said: “...It is a well-known fact that I was a famous film actor and have acted in about 120 films in different languages. I have kept the sarees and other articles as mementos from those films.”

Pointing out that there are several scenes in every movie, and that being a heroine, she had to wear sarees and matching footwear and watches, she said: “...In the film industry, a costume used once is never used again. So, I kept them as mementos.”

She argued that it was inappropriate to have valued them and say she had amassed them without legitimate income.