Madras HC allows Tamil Nadu govt to conduct inspection at Kodanand estate

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court allowed the State to inspect the Kodanand estate, owned by VK Sasikala, the close associate of J Jayalalitha, the late Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu regarding the alleged illegal construction in the estate.

A division bench of Justice SM Subramaniam and Justice C Kumarappan heard an appeal moved by the Kodanad village panchayat seeking to conduct an inspection regarding the allegation.

The Advocate General (AG) PS Raman submitted that since the estate is prohibited for public to visit, the allegation remains gloomy, hence the Court should permit the State to inspect to find out the real picture.

However, the counsel for the estate objected to the submission and said that the Court has already held that there is no illegal constructions. Further, the counsel submitted the property taxes paid until 2023 by the estate management. It is a political vindicative by the State to harass his client, the counsel added.

The bench wondered if there is no illegal constructions as claimed by the estate, why it is resisting the inspection and observed that the truth would be come out once the inspection has conducted. Further, the bench allowed the State to conduct an inspection regarding the allegation and observed that the inspection should be neutral in accordance with law.

In 2007, the Kodanad village panchayat issued a notice to the estate to demolish the illegal construction made out.

Aggrieved by this the estate moved an petition to quash the notice. After hearing the petition the Court held that there is no illegal construction and quashed the notice.

Subsequently the panchayat moved an appeal before the High Court challenging the order.