BackSasikala returns to jail, AIADMK factions keep up bids for Tamil Nadu reins
Before surrender, Sasikala appoints nephew Dinakaran as deputy general secretary of AIADMK
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Chennai/Bengaluru: Her political ambitions thwarted by her conviction in the disproportionate assets case, V.K. Sasikala surrendered before a Bengaluru jail on Wednesday in preparation of a nearly four-year jail term, as O. Panneerselvam and Edappadi K. Palaniswami kept up their rival bids to be Tamil Nadu chief minister.
Sasikala, general secretary of the ruling All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) was taken into Parappana Agrahara jail in Bengaluru for the second time since September 2014, convicted for amassing assets disproportionate to her income.
She surrendered in a special court inside the jail a day after the Supreme Court convicted her along with her nephew V.N. Sudhakaran and J. Elavarasi, widow of Sasikala’s brother Jayaraman. Also convicted was her friend, the late chief minister J.Jayalalithaa. But the charges against Jayalalithaa—the first defendant in the case—were abated in view of her death last December.
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In the morning, Sasikala left Jayalalithaa’s residence in Poes garden, Chennai, and visited her memorial on Marina beach. Then she stopped over at the late AIADMK founder M.G. Ramachandran’s home, sat in front of his photo and prayed before leaving for Bengaluru.
Her options narrowed after the Supreme Court refused to hear a plea seeking an extension in the deadline to surrender before the Karnataka court.
Just hours before leaving for Bengaluru prison, Sasikala appointed her nephew T.T.V. Dinakaran as deputy general secretary of the ruling party. Dinakaran and S. Venkatesh, who were removed from the party by Jayalalithaa in 2011, have both now been re-inducted by Sasikala.
AIADMK organising secretary V. Karuppasamy resigned from the party in protest at Dinakaran’s appointment.
Meanwhile, AIADMK legislator Saravanan filed a police complaint against Sasikala and her chosen successor Palaniswami on allegations of kidnapping.
More than 100 members of the Tamil Nadu legislative assembly had been lodged at the Golden Bay resorts in Koovathur on the outskirts of Chennai city since 8 February amid claims by Sasikala that they supported her over her rival Panneerselvam.
ALSO READ: SC refuses to extend surrender deadline for Sasikala
After the FIR was filed, Koovathur police registered a case of kidnapping and criminal intimidation against Sasikala and Palaniswami, who has been appointed legislature leader of the AIADMK party.
Police officials said that based on the allegations, they were conducting an investigation and taking statements from the legislators.
In Bengaluru, a senior official from the Karnataka prison department said, “Sasikala will be treated like any other convict." The official, who didn’t wish to be named, also confirmed that the department had not received any special request from Sasikala. “Any such request will not be entertained," he said, adding that only court-mandated requests can be considered.
He said the prison had both single cell and shared cell options and that Sasikala could choose either.
Meanwhile, fisheries minister D.Jayakumar after meeting the governor along with Palaniswami said that they have again staked a claim to form the government, adding, “We have the support of 124 MLAs."
He said that they were confident the governor will call them to form the government, adding, “We have confidence in democracy."
Caretaker chief minister O.Panneerselvam also met the governor on Wednesday night.
The disproportionate assets case was shifted to the Karnataka trial court in 2002 after a petition by K.Anbazhagan, the then Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) general secretary.
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