‘High Court upheld justice’, Deepa celebrates win in Veda Nilayam case

“The court had upheld the law of justice and this is a wonderful judgement for our family,” Deepa, niece of Jayalalithaa told DT Next. “I had a brief discussion with my brother Deepak and family members about the judgement and we will unitedly take possession of the property at the earliest.”

When asked about her plans for the politically significant Veda Nilayam, Deepa said, “Our priority is to clear the legal issues and pay the dues. We will take possession after completing the court formalities. No one has been allowed to enter the house and we must inspect it. It was private residential property and will continue to be a private building. We don’t have plans of making the ancestral property into a public memorial, Deepa emphasised.

To a query that the AIADMK leadership wants to take up the issue with the Supreme Court, Deepa said, “If they have nothing else to do, they can drag this issue. The party has so many public issues to deal with, but if they legally move further, we will also fight the case legally,” Deepa quipped. Further, the Madras High court verdict has directed the authorities to hand over the property to legal heirs and the court has restored the law of the land, Deepa said.

“For AIADMK cadres Veda Nilayam is like a pilgrimage and the public wanted the building to be converted into a memorial in memory of Amma,” reacted former AIADMK minister Gokula Indira. For this reason, the AIADMK government took efforts to convert Veda Nilayam into a public memorial and we will continue to fight for the cause. Our party leaders will discuss and decide on the next course of action and the AIADMK legal wing will also explore the legal options, the AIADMK leader added.

According to official sources, the State government had deposited Rs 67.97 crore in a city civil court compensating Deepa and Deepak, (children of Jayalalithaa’s brother Jaya Kumar). But the legal heir moved the Madras High Court challenging the State orders on the 55 cents (10 grounds) property worth over Rs 150 crores. The legal heirs will have to clear an income tax due to a tune of more than Rs 36 crores, and taxes to local bodies and other government entities.

The sprawling three-story building in upscale Poes Garden has been a centre of political activity for more than three decades and Jayalalithaa resided in the house for nearly 50 years. Jayalalithaa’s mother Sandhya, bought the bungalow in the late 1960s. Jayalalithaa expanded the bungalow by acquiring nearby properties.