Bangalore:
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa's former close aide Sasikala is likely to appear before a special court in Bangalore today to record her statements in the Rs. 66 crore disproportionate assets case against Jayalalithaa. Ms Sasikala is a co-accused in the case.
A Karnataka High Court had earlier rejected her plea seeking a translated Tamil version of the questions framed by the court. Ms Sasikala then approached the Supreme Court, which will hear her appeal today.
Last year Ms Jayalalithaa appeared before the same court to record her statements. This would be Ms Sasikala's first court appearance after she was expelled from All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK).
The case relates to accumulation of wealth allegedly disproportionate to Ms Jayalalithaa's known sources of income when she was chief minister in 1991-96.
The Chief Minister had recently expelled Ms Sasikala and 11 of her relatives from her party, the AIADMK. No reason was officially given for the drastic step, but the move was seen by many as an attempt by Ms Jayalalithaa to reign in an increasingly powerful Sasikala.
There were complaints that Ms Sasikala and her family were trying to dominate matters in the AIADMK and attempting to influence government functioning. Those who were handed the pink slip included Ms Sasikala's husband, Natarajan and her nephew and former MP T T V Dinakaran.