Sasikala gets emergency parole to attend husband Natarajan's last rites

Expelled AIADMK leader VK Sasikala, who is currently lodged in Bengaluru’s Parappanna Agrahara Jail, has been granted 15-day parole to attend the last rites ceremony of her husband M Natarajan. He passed away at 1.35am at a private hospital in Chennai on Tuesday. She is expected to leave to Thanjavur by road, where Natarajan's last rites will be held.

As per her parole, Sasikala is restricted from traveling out of Thanjavur and cannot engage in political activity or have media interactions. 

Sasikala had applied for parole following news of his demise. Speaking to TNM, Parapanna Agrahara Jail Superintendent Somashekhar had earlier said, “She has applied for parole and the process has started. This is in view of her husband's death.” 

Sasikala was last granted parole in October last year following Natarajan’s double transplantation surgery. At the time, Sasikala was granted a six-day parole by Parappana Agrahara authorities to visit her ailing husband. She had applied for a 15-day parole and her initial request was rejected on grounds of a technicality.

Sasikala is currently serving a four-year prison term at the Parappana Agrahara jail in Bengaluru, for her conviction in the Jayalalithaa Disproportionate Assets case. The Supreme Court had in February 2017 set aside Karnataka High Court's acquittal of Jayalalithaa, Sasikala, Ilaivarasi and Sudhakaran in the case. The apex court restored the Special Court’s judgement by Michael D’Cunha in September 2014 with penalties, which convicted all four accused in the 20-year-old corruption case.

Natarajan, who was 74-years-old, died in a private hospital in Chennai on Tuesday. He was suffering from chest infection, and had undergone a double organ transplant in October last year. Natarajan had been admitted to the Gleneagles Global Hospital in Chennai after his condition deteriorated a few days ago and he had been placed on ventilator.

As his condition became critical, friends and family gathered at the hospital on Saturday evening. TTV Dhinakaran, Sasikala's nephew, also reached the hospital on Saturday evening. MDMK leader Vaiko also paid a visit to the hospital.

A statement issued by the hospital read, "Every possible attempt was made to sustain his revival. However, despite our best efforts, he was unable to recover." In an earlier statement, the hospital had said that Natarajan was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit on March 16 with severe chest infection.