Putting an end to VK Sasikala's immediate aspirations to become the chief minister of Tamil Nadu, the Supreme Court today passed a verdict in the 19-year-old disproportionate assets case which also involved former AIADMK supremo, Jayalalithaa.
According to the verdict, Sasikala is required to complete jail term of four years and has been debarred from participating in active politics for the next 10 years. She is also required to pay a fine of Rs 10 crore. The two-judge bench asked Sasikala, and her two relatives also indicted in the case, to surrender to the trial court in Bengaluru.
Since Jayalalithaa has died, the bench said that all proceedings against her stood abated.
Supporters of Jayalalithaa's niece, Deepa Jayakumar hailed the verdict of the apex court. "The conviction is a divine verdict and Sasikala`s designs to dismantle democracy was smashed to pieces by the Supreme Court's verdict," they said.
DMK working president M.K. Stalin called the verdict 'historic'. "The judgment shows that one cannot escape. In public life probity is very important. For all politicians, this will be a lesson," he said.
BJP leader, Subramanian Swamy, who had filed the first complaint against her back in 1996 as the then Janata Party chief said, "we have fought for this for 20 years. This judgement shows that it does not matter which party does corruption, the courts will take a tough stand against them".
Read the full text of the judgment:
(With inputs from agencies)
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