Sasikala back in Bengaluru jail to complete her 4-year jail term in DA case

AIADMK general secretary VK Sasikala, who has been convicted the disproportionate assets case, was sent to jail on Wednesday after she surrendered before a special court at the premises of Parappana Agrahara central jail on the outskirts of Bengaluru.

The special court had sentenced Sasikala and co-accused to four years jail term in the disproportionate assets case in September 2014. The Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld the conviction and asked the accused to surrender before the special court.

Sasikala along with the co-accused Ilvarasi arrived at the court at 5.17pm and surrendered before Judge Aswatha Narayana. The procedure lasted for an hour and the AIADMK leader walked to the jail from the court along with Ilavarasi.

Another accused Sudhakaran arrived in the court later and his surrender was delayed since his vehicle broke down on the way.

"It was a due procedure and the accused completed the required formalities," said SND Kulasekaran, counsel for Sasikala.

Sasikala started her journey from Chennai to Bengaluru around noon soon after the Supreme Court rejected her plea to grant more time to surrender before the court. She covered 340 km from Chennai before reaching Parappana Agrahara.

"The immediate requirement was to surrender before the court and Sasikala has complied with the order," said Navaneetha Krishnanan, AIADMK Rajya Sabha member and supporter of Sasikala.

Earlier in the day, the Parappana Agrahara jail premises witnessed hectic activities. The special court was shifted from the City Civil Court premises to Parappana Agrahara Jail and the judge Justice Aswasrha Narayana reached the court at 3pm.

Senior AIDMK leader and Deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha M Tambidurai arrived in Bengaluru early on Wednesday morning. He consulted Sasikala's lawyers, who suggested filing plea before the trail court seeking extension of time on the grounds of her poor health condition. However, with the Supreme Court rejecting the plea, they had to recalibrate their strategy.

Sasikala's lawyers submitted before the special court that she should be given Class-1 facility in the jail and her health condition including diabetes and age related issues should be taken into consideration.

Karnataka police had made elaborate security arrangements in the areas surrounding Parappana Agrahara jail. Considering the jail's close proximity to Tamil Nadu border, security has been stepped up. Five platoons of Karnataka State Reserve Police (KSRP) had been deployed.