Split in AIADMK imminent as SC convicts Sasikala in wealth case

In its ruling, the court also barred the former video cassettes saleswoman from holding public office or contesting elections for 10 years after holding her guilty of amassing wealth disproportionate to her known income.

Tuesday’s verdict in the DA case comes as a blow for Sasikala, who was elected as the Legislature Party leader of AIADMK on February 5.

The conviction of Sasikala is a direly needed salvation for a polity that has been bruised by unsavoury scenes playing out in Tamil Nadu for the past few weeks.

“This concerns the fate of Tamil Nadu, so there is no need for any haste”, he added.

The court directed Sasikala and the others to “immediately” surrender before the trial court and ordered them to serve the remaining portion of their jail term.

The immediate fallout of the top court verdict is that Sasikala is out of the electoral field for 10 years – four years when would be in incarceration and six years of disqualification under the Representation of Peoples Act after her release. Some of the properties under the scanner in the case include Jayalalithaa’s Kodanad estate and her Poes Garden residence, which Sasikala still lives in. All four had been convicted by the trial court but acquitted by the Karnataka High Court. However, she has Jayalalithaa’s legacy to claim and can easily take over the party after 4years. First elected as chief minister of the prosperous Tamil Nadu state in 1991, she was reelected four times before passing away in December 2016.

Speaking to reporters from the AIADMK headquarters at Poes Garden, Sasikala said that party cadres were with her and “with Amma’s (Jayalalithaa’s) blessings, an AIADMK government will be in place”. Jayalalithaa, or Amma as she was fondly referred to by her followers, died following a prolonged illness, with several doubts being raised over the nature of her death subsequently. Sasikala, the powerful resident of Poes Garden, is now legally forbidden from being CM for the next ten years. “Nevertheless, to reiterate, having regard to the fact that the charge framed against A2 to A4 is proved, the conviction and sentence recorded against them by the Trial Court is restored in full including the consequential directions”.

On July 27, 2015, the apex court had issued notices on Karnataka government’s appeal seeking stay of the high court judgement to Jayalalithaa, Sasikala and her relatives.

Speaking of the majority of AIADMK legislators supporting Sasikala, today OPS said, “It is up to the MLAs to resolve the crisis”.