Bengaluru: In a significant development, the Bengaluru CBI Court has directed the transfer of all assets belonging to former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and actress J. Jayalalithaa to the Tamil Nadu government. The ruling comes after Jayalalithaa was convicted in a disproportionate assets case, though the proceedings were halted following her death in 2016.
The court upheld the confiscation of her assets, despite objections from her relatives, J. Deepak and J. Deep, who argued against the seizure following the dismissal of the case. However, the special court affirmed that the conviction of other individuals involved in the case made the confiscation valid, as supported by the High Court’s verdict.
The court has instructed that the assets be handed over to the Tamil Nadu government by February 14 and 15.
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Key Assets of J. Jayalalithaa:
Jayalalithaa’s assets include 1,562 acres of land, 27 kilograms of gold, diamond jewelry, over 11,000 saris, more than 750 pairs of expensive shoes, watches, and various other valuables. Initially valued at Rs. 913 crore at the time of seizure by the Tamil Nadu government, the current market value is estimated to exceed Rs. 4,000 crore.
The case against Jayalalithaa began in 1996, following allegations of illegal accumulation of wealth during her tenure as Chief Minister from 1991 to 1996. After serving a two-month jail sentence, the trial commenced in 1997, with nearly 250 witnesses testifying. However, in 2003, the Supreme Court transferred the case to Karnataka due to concerns over impartiality in Tamil Nadu, where the trial continued.
This landmark ruling brings closure to the long-running legal battle surrounding Jayalalithaa’s assets, now officially transferred to the Tamil Nadu government.
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