CHENNAI: A property worth 15 crore on Padmanaban Street in T Nagar belonging to V K Sasikala, a close aide of former chief minister J Jayalalithaa, was attached by the income tax department on Friday.
The income tax department had carried out searches at more than 150 places belonging to Sasikala and her accomplices since 2017, suspecting she was holding benami assets of others, including former chief minister Jayalalithaa.
When the raids were happening, Sasikala was in Bengaluru jail after she was convicted in a disproportionate asset case along with Jayalalithaa. She was released in early 2021 and now heads a splinter faction of AIADMK.
In 2020, the income tax department had attached a total of 84 properties, in two phases, totalling more than 2,000 crore belonging to Sasikala and her relatives. Siruthavur farm house and Kodanad estate belonging to Sasikala and others were also attached by the income tax department.
Last year, the collectors of Chennai and Chengelpet confiscated properties owned by Sasikala and her family members, in pursuance of the February 14, 2017 judgment by Supreme Court upholding the conviction of Sasikala, Ilavarasi, Sudhagaran and former chief minister and prime accused in the 65.66 crore disproportionate assets case, Jayalalithaa.
In February 2021, the Chennai collector notified that a small share of Ilavarasi and Sudhagaran in a six-ground and 1,081sqft land at Wallace Garden in Nungambakkam was confiscated by the government.
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According to sources in the income tax department, the building attached on Friday was owned by another person, who was a benami of Sasikala. (Times of India)
