VK Sasikala, expelled AIADMK leader and a close aide of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, was today discharged from hospital in Bengaluru where she was admitted a few days ago with fever and after experiencing breathlessness. She had later tested positive for Covid-19.
A huge group of supporters had gathered at the hospital as she was wheel-chaired out today a little after 12.30pm. The crowd burst into slogans and cheers on seeing her; she acknowledged them with folded hands before getting into a car that drove her away.
Earlier this week, the 66-year-old was formally released after spending four years in a Bengaluru jail in connection with a corruption case. Jail officials wearing COVID-19 safety gear completed the formalities at the hospital on Wednesday.
On January 20, she was rushed to the government's Bowring And Lady Curzon Medical College & Research Institute in Bengaluru after falling ill and was transferred to Victoria Hospital in the city the following day.
"Mrs Sasikala Natarajan has completed 10 days of treatment today. She has been asymptomatic and maintaining saturation without oxygen since three days. As per protocol, she can be released from hospital," a bulletin from the Bangalore Medical College had said yesterday.
In 2017, Ms Sasikala was sentenced to four years in prison in connection with a Rs 66 crore disproportionate assets case in which the late Ms Jayalalithaa was the prime accused. Her sister-in-law J Ilavarasi and Ms Jayalalithaa's foster son VN Sudhakaran, too, were convicted in the case.
Her time in the Bengaluru jail saw allegations of her being given special treatment. Ms Sasikala's release comes just months before the assembly election in Tamil Nadu.
At the height of her power, Ms Sasikala was a hugely influential force within the AIADMK and, if she can recover even some of that influence, she could emerge a key player this election.
However, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami has ruled out talk of Ms Sasikala's re-entry into the ruling AIADMK, which is reportedly under pressure from its ally the BJP.
