Bangalore:
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa's former close aide Sasikala will appear today in a hearing in the disproportionate assets case. In the last hearing, Ms Sasikala reportedly gave a clean chit to the Tamil Nadu chief minister. MS Sasikala said she solely operated the bank account that is in question.
Ms Sasikala is also one of the main accused in a case that alleges that the chief minister misused her office from 1991-1996 to collect assets worth Rs. 66 crores that cannot be accounted for. That case is being tried by a Bangalore court to ensure a fair trial. Ms Jayalalithaa objected to being summoned by that court, but was ordered by the Supreme Court to appear in person to answer questions. Ms Sasikala travelled with her for those hearings in a special plane from Chennai.
In 1996, when Jayalalithaa was beleaguered by a slew of corruption charges, she had a brief falling out with Sasikala, who belongs to the strong Thevar community, traditionally AIADMK loyalists.
After the last hearing, Ms Sasikala's husband Natarajan was reportedly arrested by Thanjavur police in Chennai in connection with a land grab case.
Ms Jayalalithaa had recently expelled Sasikala Natarajan and 11 of her relatives from her party, the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (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 Natarajan 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, Mr Natarajan and her nephew and former MP T T V Mr Dinakaran.
Ms Sasikala had been Ms Jayalalithaa's closest companion for three decades. She became an acknowledged power centre in the AIADMK because of her proximity to Ms Jayalalithaa and insiders say that her opinions counted towards the selection of ministers and party candidates.