Disproportionate assets case: PIL seeks sale of Jayalalithaa's property to realise fine

Chennai: A PIL has been filed in the Madras High Court seeking to auction or sell immovable properties of late Chief Minister Jayalalithaa (also spelt as Jayalalitha) to realise the Rs 100 crore fine slapped on her by the Supreme Court in a graft case.

When the petition by C Kumaran of Thanthai Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam came up today, a bench comprising Justices M Sathyanarayanan and M Sundar, directed the petitioner to place before it the legal submissions on entertaining his plea.

It then adjourned the matter to 7 July.

Referring to the Supreme Court order in the Rs 66.65 crore disproportionate wealth case, the petitioner said the Court had only abated the sentence of Jayalalithaa in view of her demise, but the Rs 100 crore fine and a direction to confiscate her properties remained in force.

On Karnataka government's demand for payment of Rs 12 crore towards expenses incurred on the trial, the petitioner submitted that it cannot be paid from the government exchequer and instead should be collected from the convicts.

Hence, he prayed for a direction to the authorities to auction or sell Jayalalithaa's immovable and movable properties as per the trial court and apex court orders.

AIADMK chief VK Sasikala and three others who were convicted, are presently lodged in Parappana Agrahara central jail in Bengaluru.