The appeal, submitted by her nephew J Deepak and niece J Deepa, was rejected by Single-judge Justice V. Srishananda, who ruled that the trial court’s decision from July 2023 to deny their request was based on sound merit and that the High Court should not interfere, the Bar and Bench reported.
The High Court further emphasised that the Supreme Court had previously made it clear that any order of confiscation must be respected by all parties involved, including the legal representatives of a deceased individual. It noted that the seizure of the late AIADMK
chief’s assets had ultimately led to confiscation, and there is a fundamental distinction between a provisional attachment during trial and the final post-trial order of confiscation.
Justice Srishananda referenced the Supreme Court’s decision, which stated that the case against Jayalalithaa had been abated following her death but also made it clear that the properties in question had been illegally acquired by her and her co-accused. The High Court ruled that it could not reinterpret the Supreme Court’s judgment to allow the assets to be released to Jayalalithaa’s legal heirs.
The trial court had earlier rejected Deepa and Deepak’s plea, ruling that all of Jayalalithaa’s seized assets, ranging from gold and diamonds to silver, had been illicitly obtained and should be confiscated by the government, not returned to her heirs.
In response, Deepa and Deepak had appealed to the High Court, but the ruling on Monday upheld the earlier decision. A detailed order from the High Court is still pending.
(Edited by : Priyanka Deshpande)
