Sasikala pays Rs 10 crore fine, release expected: TN CM says AIADMK will be away from her

A few months ago, an RTI query raised by one Narasimha Moorthy from Bangalore was responded by the authorities of Parappana Agrahara prison, which said that upon paying the entire fine amount of 10 crores, Sasikala's "probable date of release" will be on January 27, 2021, failing which her release would have been deferred till February 27, 2022.

Accordingly, VK Sasikala's counsel Raja Senthura Pandian had deposited a demand draft for the entire fine amount 10 crore, in the City Civil & Sessions Court, today. Sources said that the draft was also accepted by the court and has been forwarded to the Parapana Agrahara prison authorities for further processing.

Meanwhile,since the Income Tax (IT) Department had attached about 65 properties belonging to V.K. Sasikala and her associates in and around the Tamil Nadu capital, reports said that 3 different bank cheques, totalling the sum of the fine amount, was deposited on behalf of VK Sasikala.

Though the exact date of her release is yet to be known, her return is expected to create a stir in the political scenario of Tamil Nadu, with the upcoming assembly elections in 2021. Chief Minister K Palaniswami, meanwhile, asserted that the anticipated release of Sasikala would not alter the stand of AIADMK to keep her and her kin at bay, both from the party and the government. There shall be no change in the party stand as regards Sasikala, he told reporters at Coimbatore.

Sasikala is serving a four-year jail term in a disproportionate assets case and is lodged at Bengaluru Central Prison in Parappana Agrahara.