Disproportionate assets case: SC rejects Karnataka govt plea to declare Jayalalithaa convict

The Supreme court on Wednesday rejected Karnataka government's plea to declare late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa convict in the disproportionate assets case.

Last month, Karnataka government had moved Supreme Court seeking a review of its verdict by which it had abated the proceedings in the case.

The state government has said that once the proceedings were abated, it will not be possible to recover the fine of Rs 100 crore imposed on the late leader which was part of the punishment awarded to her in the case.

The apex court had on February 14 convicted V K Sasikala and two others in the case while abating the proceedings against Jayalalithaa as she had died.

The court had, however, made clear that the fine imposed on her can be recovered.

60-year-old Sasikala is serving a jail term of around three-and-half years out of four years awarded by the trial court as she has already spent almost six months in prison.

The conviction of Sasikala's two relatives V N Sudhakaran and Elavarasi were also upheld by the apex court and they were directed to surrender forthwith to serve their four-year term.

The apex court had set aside the Karnataka High Court order acquitting all the four accused and had "restored in toto" the trial court's decision in the 19-year-old case.