CBI court orders transfer of Jayalalithaa’s confiscated assets to Tamil Nadu govt

Bengaluru: In a major ruling, a special CBI court here on Wednesday ordered the transfer of all confiscated assets belonging to former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa to the Tamil Nadu government.

This decision comes after the Karnataka High Court, on January 13, dismissed a plea by Jayalalithaa’s niece and nephew, J Deepa and J Deepak, who had staked claim to the properties as her legal heirs.

Jayalalithaa was convicted in a disproportionate assets (DA) case, where she was found guilty of amassing wealth beyond her known sources of income.

The Supreme Court had upheld the confiscation of her properties, despite abating proceedings against her following her demise in 2016.

Her heirs argued that since the case against Jayalalithaa was abated, her assets should not be confiscated.

However, the High Court ruled that the Apex Court had upheld the special court’s conviction of the other accused, and thus, the asset confiscation remained valid.

The properties that will now belong to the Tamil Nadu government include Veda Nilayam, Jayalalithaa’s iconic residence in Poes Garden in Chennai; several land parcels and estates linked to the DA case; bank deposits and other financial assets held in her name; gold jewellery, and valuables she had amassed during the check period, from July 1, 1991 to April 30, 1996.

The Karnataka High Court allowed Deepa and Deepak to submit proof if any assets were purchased before the check period. If they can establish such claims, they will be entitled to their value, even if the properties have already been auctioned.

With this latest ruling, the legal battle over Jayalalithaa’s wealth nears closure, ensuring that her assets are transferred to the Tamil Nadu government, as per the Supreme Court’s original verdict.