Crossed big hurdle in securing VK Sasikala’s release, says counsel after Bengaluru court accepts Rs 10 cr fine

File Photo

Chennai: A major hurdle has been crossed in securing the expelled AIADMK leader VK Sasikala’s timely release by January 2021 from the Parappana Agrahara prison in Karnataka, said her legal counsel. This comes after a court in Bengaluru is said to have accepted a fine amount of Rs 10 crore and passed an order. 

Her counsel N Raja Senthoorpandian said that the Parappana Agrahara Central prison authorities were informed of the receipt of the fine amount via official intimation from the court. Four DDs for Rs 10 crore and Rs 10,000 with memo was filed on Tuesday before a city civil court in Bengaluru. 

“We have been working on seeking remission and strongly believe that she will succeed in getting it given her good conduct,” he told Zee Media. 

VK Sasikala, the aide of Late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa is serving a four-year jail term in a disproportionate assets case, after being convicted by the Supreme Court. 

According to the conviction order, she had to pay a fine of Rs 10 crore, failing which, she would have to serve another year behind bars.

If all goes well for Sasikala, she could be released from prison by end of January 2021 or earlier. 

What makes the timing of her possible release even more crucial is that the Assembly elections for Tamil Nadu are scheduled for summer 2021. 

While VK Sasikala had taken over the reins of the ruling AIADMK following the death of Jayalalithaa in 2016, the Supreme Court verdict in February 2017, had come as a big setback for her. 

All eyes are on the AIADMK and the possible equations between the current party leadership and Sasikala and her family members. 

However, when asked about the impact that her release would have on their party, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and AIADMK Joint Coordinator Edappadi K Palaniswami dismissed it as having nil impact.