Chennai: J Jayalalithaa’s niece J Deepa and nephew J Deepak have been recognised as “class II legal heirs” of the former Tamil Nadu chief minister’s estate and other assets worth over Rs 900 crore.
A Division Bench of the Madras High Court, comprising Justices N Kirubakaran and Abdul Quddhose, allowed an application filed by Deepak and granted him and his sister the right to administrate all properties of late Jayalalithaa, the Indian Express reported.
Deepak had filed the application and made his sister a respondent.
The other application, moved by AIADMK’s N Pugazhendhi and P Janakiraman, was dismissed by the court. They had initiated proceedings for grant of Letters of Administration in their favour or the Administrator General of Tamil Nadu.
The court suggested that the Poes Garden residence, ‘Veda Nilayam’, could be turned into a residence-cum-office of the Chief Minister instead of converting it into a memorial, as desired by the government.
“State public money cannot be wasted for the purpose of constructing the memorial. The real tribute to any leader should be paid by following his/her principles and working for the benefit of the people and development of the society. If the government intends to make the residence of Late Chief Minister’s memorial as residence, there will be not be any end for such proposals,” the bench observed.
It added that a part of the residence lone could be converted into a memorial.
The total amount of assets likely to come into the hands of the petitioner (Deepak) and respondent (Deepa) is about Rs 913, 42,68,179.
The court informed that the petitioner and respondent want to create a trust in Jayalalithaa’s name for welfare measures. The court directed the state government to provide round-the-clock security to Deepa and Deepak.
Earlier, an ordinance was passed by Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit for the state government to take possession of Jayalalithaa’s residence and other movable items so that the three-storeyed building could be converted into a memorial.
