CHENNAI: The Madras high court on Wednesday declared former Tamil Nadu CM Jayalalithaa’s niece J Deepa and nephew J Deepak as “class-II legal heirs” entitled to inherit all her assets. The court suggested to the state government not to waste public money on converting her Poes Garden residence into a memorial, saying it could instead be made the CM’s official residence.
Her heirs said the total value of their aunt’s property was Rs 188-odd crore. But two AIADMK men, who wanted to be made administrators, said her assets were worth Rs 913 crore. During arguments, they said the value could be more than Rs 1,000 crore. These figures pertain only to what she acquired in 1991-996.
“Instead of acquiring Vedha Nilayam and paying heavy compensation to the legal heirs, the amount could be utilised for development purposes such as building infrastructure, providing potable drinking water, cleaning of water bodies etc. When there are so many essential amenities that are yet to be provided by the welfare state, public money cannot be wasted for the purpose of constructing memorials,” the division bench of Justices N Kirubakaran and Abdul Quddhose said. If the state government intends to convert the residence into a memorial, there will be no end to such proposals, the judges said. And if every government were to turn the residences of deceased CMs into memorials, public money would be used up in this manner alone, they added.
The bench specified that Jayalalithaa’s legal heirs should be heard with adequate notice before acquiring the Poes Garden property. It also directed the state to provide round-the-clock security to Deepa and Deepak at their cost. For this, the court asked the duo to liquidate any of the properties of Jayalalithaa that they have inherited and put the proceeds in a fixed deposit with a nationalised bank to pay for the expenses incurred on security provided by the state.
This apart, as agreed by Deepa and Deepak, the court directed them to allot a few properties left behind by their aunt according to their discretion and create a registered public trust in the name of Jayalalithaa for charity. They are required to report to the court on this within eight weeks.
The court also dismissed another plea moved by an AIADMK member K Pugalenthi to appoint him and others as administrators of the properties that belonged to the late CM. “Assuming for a moment that they are the cadres, that itself would not give them the right to approach the court for grant of letters of administration for administering the vast properties of Jayalalithaa,” the court said.
Her heirs said the total value of their aunt’s property was Rs 188-odd crore. But two AIADMK men, who wanted to be made administrators, said her assets were worth Rs 913 crore. During arguments, they said the value could be more than Rs 1,000 crore. These figures pertain only to what she acquired in 1991-996.
“Instead of acquiring Vedha Nilayam and paying heavy compensation to the legal heirs, the amount could be utilised for development purposes such as building infrastructure, providing potable drinking water, cleaning of water bodies etc. When there are so many essential amenities that are yet to be provided by the welfare state, public money cannot be wasted for the purpose of constructing memorials,” the division bench of Justices N Kirubakaran and Abdul Quddhose said. If the state government intends to convert the residence into a memorial, there will be no end to such proposals, the judges said. And if every government were to turn the residences of deceased CMs into memorials, public money would be used up in this manner alone, they added.
The bench specified that Jayalalithaa’s legal heirs should be heard with adequate notice before acquiring the Poes Garden property. It also directed the state to provide round-the-clock security to Deepa and Deepak at their cost. For this, the court asked the duo to liquidate any of the properties of Jayalalithaa that they have inherited and put the proceeds in a fixed deposit with a nationalised bank to pay for the expenses incurred on security provided by the state.
This apart, as agreed by Deepa and Deepak, the court directed them to allot a few properties left behind by their aunt according to their discretion and create a registered public trust in the name of Jayalalithaa for charity. They are required to report to the court on this within eight weeks.
The court also dismissed another plea moved by an AIADMK member K Pugalenthi to appoint him and others as administrators of the properties that belonged to the late CM. “Assuming for a moment that they are the cadres, that itself would not give them the right to approach the court for grant of letters of administration for administering the vast properties of Jayalalithaa,” the court said.
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