SC Dismisses Plea to Reclaim Jayalalitha's Assets in Disproportionate Wealth Case

The Supreme Court dismissed a plea by J Jayalalitha's heir, challenging Karnataka High Court's order on returning her seized assets. The ruling affirmed that the abatement of proceedings posthumously does not equate to acquittal, maintaining the confiscation of her properties in the disproportionate assets case.

In a significant ruling, the Supreme Court has dismissed a petition filed by the legal heir of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalitha. This petition challenged a Karnataka High Court order, which denied the return of assets seized during a probe into a multi-crore disproportionate assets case involving her estate.

A bench comprising Justices BV Nagarathna and Satish Chandra Sharma clarified that the abatement of proceedings following Jayalalitha's demise does not imply her acquittal. Therefore, the confiscation of her assets stands firm, dealing a setback to her niece, J Deepa, who sought to reclaim the estate.

Deepa argued that since the apex court abated proceedings in 2017, Jayalalitha should not be considered a convict. However, the Supreme Court upheld the lower courts' decisions, emphasizing legal authority on confiscated properties. Following the Karnataka High Court ruling, a special court transferred the assets to the Tamil Nadu government.

(With inputs from agencies.)