High Court moved against conversion of Jaya's residence into memorial

In his public interest litigation petition, 'Traffic' K R Ramaswamy said that the government should not be allowed to go ahead with the memorial for Jayalalithaa, who, he claimed, had been "declared a convict" in the disproportionate assets case by the Supreme Court in February last year.

He wanted the court to restrain the government from acquiring "Veda Nilayam", Jayalalithaa's residence in the posh Poes Graden locality, and converting it into a memorial using public funds.

The petition is likely to come up for hearing tomorrow.

The Supreme Court had abated the proceedings against Jayalalithaa in the disproportionate assets case, in which she was the prime accused, in view of her death on December 5, 2016.

It, however, convicted three other accused including Jayalalithaa's close aide Sasikala.

Chief Minister K Palaniswami had on August 17 last year announced that his government would convert Jayalalithaa's house into a memorial.

The government has recently began preliminary work on survey of the property.

Jayalalithaa's niece J Deepa had in October last year moved the high court opposing the government move. The court had later disposed her petition, directing the government to take a decision on her representation.

Deepa had contended that Jayalalithaa's entire estate, including Poes Garden residence, belonged to her and her brother as they were second-class legal heirs of the late leader.