Deepa moves High Court against Jaya house as memorial

Pointing out that she and her brother Deepak were the rightful heirs of the late Jayalalithaa and that they are entitled to succeed to the last estate of Jayalalithaa, she sought the court to grant an order of interim injunction restraining the state from in any way transforming the property ‘Veda Nilayam’ situated in Poes Garden, into a memorial pursuant to the press release issued by the Chief Minister pending disposal of the writ petition. She also sought for a direction to dispose her representation on August 24 objecting to the survey of the property by the officials of both Revenue and Tourism department for this purpose. 

She has submitted in her plea that her paternal grandmother the late Vedavalli alias Sandhya, during her lifetime, purchased several properties in and around Chennai. She expired in 1971 leaving behind her son Jayakumar and daughter J Jayalalithaa to succeed to her estate. Thereafter, Jayakumar married Vijayalakshmi and out of the wedlock, myself Deepa and Deepak were born. 

Following this, the entire family lived jointly in the family property, more specifically ‘Veda Nilayam’ bearing door No.81, Poes Garden, Teynampet. However, for the sake of convenience and higher studies, we had to move to the present residence situated in T. Nagar.

Noting that her father Jayakumar predeceased her aunt  Jayalalithaa, she submitted, “Thus it is crystal clear that being the son and daughter of Jayakumar, I and my brother Deepak are entitled to succeed to the last estate of Jayalalithaa and hence, the property situated in Poes Garden lawfully belongs to me and my brother Deepak.” 

Also, referring to the press release given by the Chief Minister on August 18 stating that Veda Nilayam will be converted into a memorial to honour Jayalalithaa, she said “The press release of the CM is without any basis and he has no locus standi to issue a release in respect of a private property, which lawfully belongs to me and my brother.”