The Tamil Nadu government is planning to acquire former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa’s Veda Nilayam residence at Poes Garden within four months, as per a report in The Times of India.
In order to evaluate the value of the bungalow, the revenue department will soon unseal two rooms, which were supposedly occupied by VK Sasikala, her long-time confidante.
As per Jayalalithaa's affidavit filed in the 2016 assembly election, the market value of the house was Rs 72.09 crore.
Chennai collector V Anbuselvan and his team of officials, along with officers of the public works and income tax departments had reviewed the property last week and measured it, leaving aside the sealed rooms.
"The I-T department had asked for more time to open these rooms, but now they have agreed to open them so that we could assess the value of the property," Anbuselvan told ToI.
The building was purchased by Jayalalithaa’s mother, Veda alias Sandhya in July 1967 and is spread over 21,662 square feet.
"The two rooms were sealed for our purpose. It is not that we have taken control of it. Revenue department is free to do whatever they want. It will not affect ownership, possession or control. It is a normal legal process, we do not seal the premises indefinitely," a senior I-T official told ToI.
The report states that the department had planned to unseal the two rooms last week but Shakeela, Sasikala’s niece who was made a party during the previous search, was out of station.
Shakeela was found to be in possession of the keys to the residence, during the previous search.
Under the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, the plan is to complete the entire process of land acquisition in four months.
The department will conduct a social impact assessment study with the help of a third party, if available, to assess the purpose as well as extent of land, both public and private, likely to be affected by the proposed acquisition.
Thereafter, a public hearing will be held to get claims and objections, the report adds.