IT Dept Attaches Ex-AIADMK Leader Sasikala’s Properties Worth Rs 100 Cr At Payyanur Under Benami Act

Even last year, the Income Tax Department attached properties of Sasikala and her associates in Chennai and other places.

(L) Sasikala (R) Payyanur

Chennai: The Income Tax Department on Wednesday attached properties of Sasikala, former AIADMK General Secretary and aide of J Jayalalithaa, which was worth Rs 100 crore at Payyanur on OMR under the Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Act. The properties sprawling across 24 acres were bought between 1991-1996 while J Jayalalithaa was the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. 

According to a report on DT Next, one of the bunglows in Payyanur earlier belonged to music director Gangai Amaran, who sold the property in 1994. Even last year, the Income Tax Department attached properties of Sasikala and her associates in Chennai and other places. In 2019, IT attached Rs 1,600 crore property of Sasikala for alleged tax violation under Benami Act. 

The former AIADMK General Secretary Sasikala was held in a disproportionate assets case and was released after a four year jail term from Parappana Agrahara jail in February, 2021. She served the jail term along with Jayalalithaa's foster son VN Sudhakaran and Sasikala's sister-in-law Ilavarasi among others since they allegedly amassed wealth between 1991 and 1996 without any source of income. However, in February after a four jail term, Sasikala returned to Chennai from Bengaluru after a 24-hour roadshow by AMMK and AIADMK party cadre throughout her way.

Meanwhile, Sasikala on Wednesday met the family of former AIADMK MLA Vetrivel, who died due to novel coronavirus infection in October last year. Vetrivel was part of the Sasikala faction, when AIADMK divided under the leadership of Sasikala and O Panneerselvam. He also continued his support to AMMK chief TTV Dhinakaran.