Sasikala’s discharge from hospital: All about disproportionate assets case

Sasikala’s life and political career has been full of controversies including the infamous disproportionate assets case, which led to her imprisonment for four years

Expelled AIADMK leader VK Sasikala has been discharged from Bengaluru’s Victoria hospital on Sunday. The leader was a close confidante of former chief minister J Jayalalithaa. Though Sasikala hasn’t contested or campaigned in elections, she has the backing of a support base within the AIADMK and a breakaway faction- AMMK.

Sasikala had been undergoing treatment for Covid-19 in a Bengaluru hospital. (AFP file photo)

Her discharge from hospital, a few days after she was released from jail, has created a flutter in Tamil Nadu politics in the election year. While All India Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) has firmly stated that Sasikala will not be allowed to return to the party fold, Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK), floated by her nephew TTV Dhinakaran, has planned an elaborate welcome for her.

Sasikala’s life and political career has been full of controversies including the infamous disproportionate assets case, which led to her imprisonment for four years. Here’s a timeline of the case.

1996:- The case dates back to Jayalalithaa's chief ministerial tenure (1991-96) when Subramanian Swamy (then with Janata party) filed the DA case against her in 1996 claiming she had amassed wealth of ₹66.65 crore disproportionate to her known sources of income. Sasikala and her two relatives --- J Ilavarasi and V N Sudhakaran were co-accused. Sasikala was accused number 2 or A2.

1997:- Chargesheet filed against Jayalalithaa, Sasikala, Ilavarasi and Sudhakaran under Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.

2001:- Jayalalithaa becomes chief minister after leading AIADMK to victory.

2003:- Supreme Court transferred the case to Bengaluru constituting a special court after DMK’s then general secretary K Anbazhagan sought a trial in Karnataka claiming a fair trial was not possible in Tamil Nadu with Jayalalithaa as the chief minister.

2014:- A special court in Bengaluru convicted Jayalalithaa and Sasikala and two others.

Jayalalithaa moved the Karnataka high court for bail which rejects it. Finally, the apex court grants her bail and directs Karnataka high court to complete hearings on appeals.

2015:- Karnataka HC reserves order on an appeal by Jayalalithaa, Sasikala and two others.

May 11, 2015: Karnataka HC acquits Jayalalithaa, Sasikala and two others.

June 23, 2015:- Karnataka government challenges Jayalalithaa’s acquittal in the Supreme Court

February 2016:- SC begins hearing petitions filed against the acquittal.

June 7: SC reserves verdict on appeals in case against Jayalalithaa.

December 5, 2016:- Jayalalithaa dies after prolonged illness in Chennai.

February 14, 2017:- SC overturns Karnataka HC verdict and restores trial court’s verdict. Court convicts Sasikala and her two relatives, V N Sudhakaran and J Ilavarasi and directs them to surrender and serve the remaining jail term. The court abated the charges against Jayalalithaa, who died in December 2016.

Sasikala had already served six months in jail. The trial court had sentenced Sasikala and her two relatives to four years imprisonment with a fine of Rs10 crore each. Jayalalithaa was sentenced to four years with a fine of Rs100 crore.

February 15, 2017: Sasikala surrenders before the trial court in Bengaluru. On her way, she stopped at Jayalalithaa’s burial place- thumped her palm thrice on the ground dramatically taking a vow. Sasikala was lodged in the Parappana Agrahara jail along with Ilavarasi and Sudhakaran.

October 2017:- Sasikala was out on parole for nearly a week to visit her ailing husband V K Natarajan in Chennai.

March 2018- Sasikala was out on parole for 15 days after her husband’s death.

January 2019- An independent inquiry confirmed allegations made by a senior police officer who stated that special and preferential treatment was extended to Sasikala, including a separate kitchen inside the prison, creating a controversy across two states.

November 18, 2020:- Sasikala pays 20-crore fine in Bengaluru civil court to secure her release on January 27, 2021.

January 20, 2021:- Sasikala brought from jail to Bowring hospital after complaints of fever and breathlessness and was put on oxygen support.

January 21- Sasikala tests positive for Covid-19 and is shifted to Victoria hospital.

January 27- Prison authorities wearing PPE kits get Sasikala’s signatures from hospital and formally release her. Sasikala’s supporters celebrate in Bengaluru and Tamil Nadu.

January 31: Sasikala discharged from the hospital.