Nearly a decade after the conviction and four-year imprisonment of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa in a corruption case, and more than seven years following her demise, the ultimate legal proceedings to liquidate her assets to gather the Rs 100 crore fine levied on her commenced in Bengaluru on Monday.
The 36th City Civil Court in Bengaluru declared its intention to transfer 27 kilograms of gold and diamond jewellery owned by Jayalalithaa to the Home Secretary of Tamil Nadu on March 6 and 7, 2024.
20kg of the gold to be sold/auctioned
While 20 kilograms of jewellery are slated for sale or auction to meet the fine obligation, 7 kilograms are exempted on the grounds of being inherited from her mother. Additionally, Canfin Homes Limited, with which Jayalalithaa held an account, remitted Rs 59 lakh to the special court in Bengaluru on Monday.
Special Judge Mohan issued a concise order acknowledging that, as previously instructed by him, the Tamil Nadu government had issued a Government Order (GO) on February 16, authorizing the state's Home Secretary and an Inspector-General of Police-ranked officer from the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) to attend the Bengaluru court and accept the gold and diamond jewellery on behalf of the state of Tamil Nadu.
Court orders security arrangements to make transfer
The judge said, “It is ordered that the principal secretary, department of home, state of Tamil Nadu, is directed to come along with IGP, as per the government order of Tamil Nadu, on March 6, 2024, along with a photographer and videographer, and six big trunks with necessary security for collecting the jewels from this court. Further, the registrar, city civil court, is instructed to make necessary security arrangements with local police on those two days for the purpose of handing over the jewels to the state of Tamil Nadu.”
“At this point in time, an official from Canfin Homes Ltd is present and submits her letter stating that an amount of Rs 59,82,861.44 has been deposited with the secretary to the government, public (government of Tamil Nadu). Along with the said letter, a DD for that amount is produced. The same is taken on record,” he further added.
Jayalalithaa was fined Rs 100 crore
In September 2014, special judge John Michael D’Cunha rendered a verdict in a 1,136-page judgment, convicting Jayalalithaa, N Sasikala, J Ilavarasi, and V N Sudhakaran, sentencing them all to four years' imprisonment each. Jayalalithaa received a Rs 100 crore fine, while the others were fined Rs 10 crore each.
Although the Karnataka High Court acquitted them all on May 11, 2015, the Supreme Court reinstated Judge D’Cunha’s ruling on February 14, 2017. However, since Jayalalithaa had passed away by then, the charges against her were dropped. Nonetheless, the other three were required to serve their four-year sentences and pay the fines. The ongoing proceedings of the special court involve auctioning both movable and immovable assets of Jayalalithaa to collect the Rs 100 crore fine imposed on her.
Following the auction of the jewellery, the court will proceed to auction her immovable assets to cover the outstanding balance of the fine.
