Jayalalitha’s Close Aide Sasikala Freed After Spending 4 Years in Jail, to Remain in Hospital For Now

Sasikala, who contracted coronavirus last week, will remain in the hospital in Bengaluru for treatment.

New Delhi: Former aide of late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalitha, VK Sasikala was on Wednesday officially released after spending four years in jail in connection to a Rs 66 crore corruption case. The 63-year-old, who contracted coronavirus last week, will remain in the hospital in Bengaluru.

Prison officials had said that the former AIADMK leader will be released today after all formalities are completed and documents are signed in the hospital. Notably, Sasikala was supposed to be released this week but hospital authorities have said she will continue to be treated for the infection.

Sasikala had contracted the virus on January 20 and was admitted to the Bowring hospital initially before being shifted to the dedicated COVID-19 centre at the Victoria hospital. Authorities at the Victoria hospital said as per COVID-19 protocol she may have to spend 10 days at the facility.

However, a hospital bulletin noted that Sasikala is now doing well.

“She is asymptomatic, conscious alert and well oriented. She is being continuously monitored,” the hospital said in the bulletin. She is expected to be released in the first week of February.

Sasikala’s nephew and founder of Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) had on Monday said a decision on the discharge of his aunt from the hospital would be taken after consulting the doctors.

Sasikala was sentenced to four years imprisonment in February 2017 in the Rs 66 crore disproportionate assets case along with her sister-in-law J Ilavarasi and Jayalalithaa’s foster son V N Sudhakaran.