Sasikala may walk out of Bengaluru jail in January

The case pertains to amassment of disproportionate assets to the tune of Rs. 66.65 crore during J Jayalalithaa’s tenure as the Chief Minister from 1991 to 1996.

The case pertains to amassment of disproportionate assets to the tune of Rs. 66.65 crore during J Jayalalithaa’s tenure as the Chief Minister from 1991 to 1996. In September 2014, a special court convicted Jayalalithaa (A1) under section 109 reach with 13 (2) of the Prevention of the Corruption Act- abetment of criminal misconduct of a public servant – to simple imprisonment for four years. The three co-accused VK Sasikala (A2), VN Sudhakaran (A3) and J Ilavarasi (A4) were also convicted. Jayalalithaa was slapped a 100-crore fine while the rest of them were awarded a fine amount of 10 crores each. Jayalalithaa was forced to step down as chief minister.

However, Jayalalithaa challenged the conviction and moved the Karnataka High Court which acquitted her of all charges. In 2017, the Supreme Court set aside the Karnataka High Court judgment and upheld the special court verdict, convicting all four of them.

Speaking to Tamil news channel Puthiya Thalaimurai, Sasikala’s lawyer N Raja Senthoor Pandian said: “Sasikala had already served a jail term of 35 days earlier in 1997 and in 2014. She came out in parole for 17 days, if we reduce that, there are still 18 days remaining. As per the judgment, she should be released by February 14, 2021, if we include the remaining 18 days, she would be released by January 27, 2021. We hope she will get ordinary remission, if that happens, she will walk out the prison within this month.”