Journalism of Courage
Four years after she was convicted in a disproportionate assets case, V K Sasikala was Wednesday freed from the Parappana Agrahara prison in Bengaluru. Sasikala, former AIADMK leader and a close aide of ex-Tamil Nadu chief minister late J Jayalalithaa, is admitted at Victoria Hospital in Bengaluru where she is recovering from Covid-19. The prison formalities were completed at the hospital this morning.
Speaking to IndianExpress.com, Dr Ramesh Krishna K, Medical Superintendent of Victoria Hospital said: “Sasikala will continue to be in Victoria Hospital for 4-5 days for treatment.”
A health bulletin from the hospital confirmed that Sasikala had been officially released from prison at 11 am, and that she and her family had decided she would continue treatment at the same hospital.
Earlier in the day, the hospital said Sasikala was “conscious, alert and well oriented”. It said she was stable and comfortable, eating normally and walking with support. Sasikala is asymptomatic, and is being constantly monitored, the bulletin added.
On Monday, Sasikala’s counsel N Raja Senthoor Pandian said, “Legal formalities have been completed. I have asked them (prison authorities) to produce the sentence completion certificate. They have processed it, and tomorrow (Wednesday) they will produce it to the doctor confirming that she has been released from prison.
“The local police station will be informed as well. Once all formalities are taken care of, the prison authorities will remove the protection they have provided her. The Karnataka Police will then decide whether or not to extend her protection,” he said.
On Monday, Sasikala’s nephew and AMMK leader TTV Dhinakaran took to Twitter to confirm that she would be released today. He said while her Covid-19 infection had reduced considerably, her discharge date would be decided only after proper consultation with doctors.
House-hunt for Sasikala
Once Sasikala returns to Chennai, she won’t able to step into ‘Veda Nilayam’, the residence of Jayalalithaa, as the state government has taken possession of the property and will convert into a memorial which is expected to be open to the public from January 28.
Sources said Sasikala’s family is considering five locations for her to stay once she returns to the city. The house adjacent to her niece Krishnapriya’s residence is the likely choice.
Krishnapriya is the daughter of J Ilavarasi (Sasikala’s sister-in-law), who is also serving a jail term in the disproportionate assets case. Sasikala stayed at Krishnapriya’s residence during her five-day parole in 2017.
