Jayalalithaa’s house: Deepa seeks 2 weeks to reply

She cited the Dr RK Nagar by-election work as the reason and the government is understood to have conceded her request. Her appearance follows a communication dated October 27 from Tamil Development and Information (Memorials) secretary R Venkatesan based on the direction issued by the Madras High Court in this regard.

“I would not change my stand against the conversion. The property was purchased by my grandmother and we have legal and absolute ownership over the same. I would detail in my written affidavit as to why the government should not convert it into a memorial. The property should be handed over to us. Trespassers into the property following my aunt’s death should be evicted,” she said. She did not name deposed AIADMK leader VK Sasikala despite the media pressing for details of trespassers.

Deepa observed that there were mysteries shrouding her aunt’s death so much so that she had sought a CBI probe. “I have made my submissions before the one-man-commission led by Justice A Arumughaswamy in this regard raising issues,” she said.

She dismissed as rumour the claims made by a Bengaluru woman that she was Jayalalithaa’s daughter and Jayalalithaa having left any will. She added that she would maintain the property as it was done during the times of her aunt. 

She also claimed that she would be filing her nominations to the by-election and promised to weed out those indulging in corruption. 

Deepa revealed that she would approach the court for remedy as the Election Commission had turned down her stakes to party and the symbol, while blaming the Commission of being biased in deciding the issue.