Sasikala currently faces a four-year jail sentence and cannot contest election for the next six years
The Supreme Court on Wednesday dismissed the plea filed by ousted AIADMK leader VK Sasikala, who sought the court to review of her conviction in the disproportionate assets case.
The Supreme Court on February 14 had convicted Sasikala in the case and sentenced her to four years imprisonment. Former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa was also an accused, but she died in November 2016.
After SC's verdict, Sasikala will be unable to stand for elections for six years and hold public office.
The verdict comes in the backdrop of the ongoing power struggle within the ruling AIADMK in Tamil Nadu between Sasikala and caretaker chief minister O Panneerselvam.
Jayalalithaa, Sasikala and her relatives VN Sudhakaran and Elavarasi were accused of amassing disproportionate assets to the tune of Rs. 66.65 crore during the late chief minister's first term from 1991 to 1996.
They were also held guilty by the trial court and sentenced to four years with a fine of Rs. 10 crore each.
The Karnataka High Court had on May 11, 2015, ruled that the AIADMK supremo's conviction by a special court suffered from infirmity and was not sustainable in law, clearing decks for her return as chief minister.
The Karnataka government, in its plea against the May 11 order, claimed that the HC had erred in computing the disproportionate assets of the AIADMK leader. The Karnataka government also asked whether the high court had "erred in law" by according benefit of doubt to Jayalalithaa in pursuance of a Supreme Court judgement holding that accused can be acquitted if his or her disproportionate assets were to the extent of 10%.
A special court had in 2014 held Jayalalithaa guilty of corruption and sentenced her to four years imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 100 crore.
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