'Sasikala likely to be released this month-end', confirms her counsel

VK Sasikala, former chief minister Jayalalithaa's close aide, who is currently serving four-year imprisonment in the infamous Rs 66.65-crore DA case in which the former chief minister was also an accused, is lodged in the  Parappana Agrahara prison, Bengaluru, since February 2017.

Sasikala's Counsel, Raja Senthura Pandian, who addressed the media, confirmed that VK Sasikala is likely to be released from the prison by the end of September or early October. He further said that due to her good character and conduct while she was undergoing imprisonment, her term has been reduced and she likely to be released after due admonition.

Apparently, Sasikala's relatives Ilavarasi and V N Sudhakaran are also serving a four-year jail term in the case.

Sasikala, who took over the reins of AIADMK after the death of Jayalalithaa in December 2016, was later removed from the party by the Chief Minister K Palaniswami-led camp. There is much speculation that Sasikala is likely to join with her nephew, TTV Dhinakaran's camp, which is considered as a rival camp to the current ruling party.

Mean while, the Income Tax department has attached as many 65 benami properties, spread over 200 acres in Chennai and its surrounding areas and worth over Rs 300 crore, belonging to VK Sasikala, Attached properties include a new house under construction in Poes Garden, opposite to Veda Nilayam,

the residence of Jaya, which is being converted to a government memorial. All 65 properties were acquired by the Sasikala clan during the year 2003-05. Income Tax department’s Chennai wing has attached these properties under the provisions of Benami Transaction (Prohibition) Amendment Act, 2016.