J. Deepa (43), niece of former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, has filed a writ petition in the Madras High Court challenging the State government’s decision to convert the latter’s Poes Garden residence into a memorial on the ground that the property belongs to the petitioner and her brother J. Deepak under the Hindu Succession Act of 1956.
Stating that she had made a detailed representation to incumbent Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami, the Chief Secretary and other government officials on August 22 urging them to refrain from interfering with her aunt’s properties, Ms. Deepa sought a direction to consider and dispose of her representation within a stipulated time.
In an affidavit filed in support of the writ petition, she said her paternal grandmother Vedavalli alias Sandhya had purchased several properties in and around Chennai and died in 1971 leaving behind her son Jayakumar and daughter Jayalalithaa to succeed to her estate. Thereafter, the siblings lived together at the Poes Garden residence.
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Stating that her father Jayakumar got married after his mother’s death, and lived in a joint family with his wife J. Vijayalakshmi, children as well as his sister in the same house for long, Ms. Deepa claimed: “For the sake of convenience and for higher studies, we had to move to the present residence situated at T.Nagar.”
Since her father had predeceased Jayalalithaa, who died on December 5 last year, the petitioner said the latter died “leaving behind me and my brother as second class legal heirs to succeed to her the entire estate which also includes the property Veda Nilayam bearing door no.81, Poes Garden, Teynampet, Chennai-600086.
“I further submit that my paternal aunt J. Jayalalithaa during her lifetime purchased several properties in and around Chennai, Kodanad, Hyderabad besides landed properties in Tamil Nadu, Bengaluru etc. Since my aunt died intestate without executing a will or testament, I and my brother J. Deepak are entitled to succeed to her estate.”
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‘Undue pressure’
Stating that she had to continue the legacy and welfare activities of her aunt due to “undue” pressure and love of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) cadre, Ms. Deepa said she was shocked to come across a press release issued by Mr. Palaniswami on August 18 about converting her aunt’s Poes Garden residence into a memorial.
“The press release of the Chief Minister is without any basis and he has got no locus standi to issue a press release with respect to a private property which lawfully belongs to me and my brother. I reliably learnt that in a haste, the officials of the revenue and tourism departments are surveying the property which is nothing but illegal,” she said.
A copy of the representation reportedly made by her to the Chief Minister and Chief Secretary through the registered post, and filed along with the writ petition, had insisted that the government should refrain from issuing press releases with respect to Jayalalithaa’s properties and making any kind of alterations at the Poes Garden residence.