The Madras High Court on Tuesday summoned J Deepa and nephew J Deepak, former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa’s niece and nephew, to the court on Friday to ascertain the pleas filed on their behalf seeking Letter of Administration (LoA) to manage the properties left behind by Jayalalithaa, including the Poes Garden residence Veda Nilayam.
Justices N Kirubakaran and Abdul Quddhose were hearing four separate pleas for administrating Jaya’s properties when they passed this interim order. Two AIADMK members K Pugazhenthi and P Janakiraman, had filed a similar case in the court.
The Hindu reports that Deepak’s counsel had filed a civil case in the High Court seeking LoA under the Indian Succession Act of 1925. He had also undertaken to settle all debts of his aunt, which he claimed were Rs 40 crore with the Income Tax Department and another Rs 20 crore towards a 1996 bank loan.
In her affidavit, Deepa had alleged that the state government was trying to acquire property worth over Rs 100 crore for a meagre Rs 38 crore.
Meanwhile, the IT Department’s senior standing counsel AP Srinivas, informed the court that it would not be possible for it to assess the value of Jayalalithaa’s properties as directed by the court during the last hearing since they were short of hands and only three surveyors were available.
Earlier this month, the Chennai District Collector gave the go-ahead to acquire Veda Nilayam and convert it into a memorial.
In July, Justice N Kirubakaran came down heavily on the state government for wanting to establish a memorial using public funds.
“When the state government is struggling for funds, why do you want to spend crores of rupees on a memorial? You cannot spend public money like this. We cannot allow this. You better reconsider your decision. Remember your leader and do some good work. That is sufficient,” he told the advocate for the state government.