The Karnataka High Court recently stayed the process of handing over gold and diamond jewellery belonging to former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister late J Jayalalithaa to the neighbouring state government till March 26. The stay was ordered by a single judge bench of Justice Mohammed Nawaz on a plea by Jayalalithaa’s niece J Deepa on Tuesday.
The aforesaid valuables were confiscated in a disproportionate assets case against the late AIADMK leader and slated to be handed over to the Tamil Nadu authorities from Wednesday by a special court.
The petitioner raised questions about the July 12, 2023 special court order contending that J Jayalalithaa should be treated as acquitted as the Supreme Court had stopped the proceedings against her.
The special court stated that 27 kg of gold and diamond jewellery, part of the material evidence in the case against Jayalalithaa and others, would be handed over to the Tamil Nadu government on March six and seven, paving the way for unlocking the value of the assets to mobilise Rs 100 crore fine imposed on her.
Around 20 kg were allowed to be sold or auctioned, the remaining 7 kg had been exempted by the Court considering the fact that it was inherited from her mother. The court stated that the Tamil Nadu Government will then take necessary action on the disposal of these gold and diamond jewellery.
The proceedings were held in Karnataka on the direction of the Supreme Court and therefore all material evidence is in the Karnataka treasury now under the custody of the court.
Directing the transfer of the jewellery to the Tamil Nadu Government, the Special Court judge had said that instead of auctioning the jewels, it is better to transfer the same to Tamil Nadu by handing over the same through the Department of Home, State of Tamil Nadu.
Subsequently, the Court had issued the direction that the Tamil Nadu Home Department authorise competent persons preferably in the rank of Secretary along with police to come and collect the jewels. In the same order, the special court had directed the payment of Rs 5 crore to Karnataka for the expenses of the trial conducted in the State.
The trial against Jayalalithaa, her former close aide V Sasikala, V N Sudhakaran, who is the disowned foster son of Jayalalithaa, and Sasikala’s sister-in-law J Ilavarasi was carried out by the special court, which convicted them nearly ten years ago.