BENGALURU: A city-based RTI activist has written to Chief Justice of India and Chief Justice of Karnataka high court seeking their intervention in disposing of perishable assets of late TN CM J Jayalalithaa which have been in the court’s custody for the past 26 years.
These perishable assets are 11,344 saris, 250 shawls and 750 pairs of footwear.
They were seized in a Disproportionate Assets (DA) case faced by Jayalalithaa and others and the trial was held in Karnataka courts.
The properties were seized on December 11, 1996 from her residence in Poes Garden, Chennai, after a case was registered against her, her foster son VN Sudhakaran, her associate VK Sasikala and Ilavarasi.
Subsequently, the SC transferred the case to a special court in Bengaluru in November 2003 which held Jayalalithaa and the three guilty in September 2014.
Jaya's seized properties stored in treasury in Vidhana Soudha
Since November 2003, the properties seized have been stored in the government treasury in Vidhana Soudha.
In his application, activist T Narasimhamurthy listed 27 properties (inventory mahazars) seized in the case and termed three among them- saris, shawls and footwear - as perishable in nature and hence the court should dispose them of at the earliest, mostly through public auction.
"As per some textile experts, folding of textile materials, specially saris of whatsoever material, will fade and lose its quality thereafter. Even the colours will deteriorate. Shawls will likewise, will become of poor quality. Similarly, leather footwear will lose its quality and strength. These materials are in the custody of court for 26 years. Keeping them under such circumstances, if otherwise, not in requirement for the purposes of evidence or other court requirements will serve public good to dispose of the same," he stated in the application.
