Assets case: Supreme Court to decide Sasikala’s fate today

A bench of Justices PC Ghose and Amitava Roy, which said last week that the verdict would be out in few days, is likely to pronounce the judgment at 10.30 am today on a batch of appeals, including the one filed by Karnataka government against the High Court verdict acquitting prime accused Jayalalithaa and her close aide and now AIADMK chief Sasikala. Besides Jayalalithaa, against whom the proceedings would be abated due to her demise on December 5 last year, Sasikala, and the latter’s relatives, VN Sudhakaran and Elavarasi, were also acquitted in the assets case by the Karnataka High Court. 

The apex court, on June 7 last year, had reserved its verdict on a batch of appeals filed by Karnataka government and others against the High Court order acquitting then Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa and others in the assets case after hearing a battery of lawyers from both sides. 

The hearing in the high-profile case had concluded during summer vacation last year by the apex court which also heard DMK leader K Anbazhagan and BJP MP Subramanian Swamy against the acquittal of Jayalalithaa, Sasikala and others. 

Senior advocates TR Andhyarujina and Vikas Singh had appeared for DMK leader Anbazhagan and sought reversal of the High Court verdict.

The apex court, during the hearing, had said that acquiring assets “per se” is not a crime unless the sources are found to be illegal. The court had outlined the three options available to it and said it may either uphold the High court verdict or reverse it or re-appreciate the entire evidence which may lead to fresh re-trial. It can also remand the matter to the High court for fresh consideration.