Come January 2021 Sasikala Natarajan might be released and this comes as major news for Tamil Nadu. The Central Prison in Bengaluru has responded to an RTI query regarding the controversial politician's release from jail.
As per the letter, Sasikala will be released by January 27th next year provided she pays the fine. Since her forced exit from the Tamil Nadu political scene, the prospect of her comeback has been looming over the state.
Sasikala could be released early
AIADMK's Sasikala was arrested in 2017 following being convicted by the Supreme Court awarding her a 4-year jail term and Rs 10 crore fine. She was convicted in a disproportionate assets case.
Her jail term had led to a huge change in Tamil Nadu politics. Sasikala had been eyeing to become the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu after the political vacuum in the state post Jayalalithaa's death. Now, in a response to the RTI query by a lawyer Narasimha Murthy in Bengaluru, the central prison has said that Sasikala could be released on January 27th, 2021.
The letter cites this as the 'probable date of release' if Sasikala pays the in-default fine. The letter states, "Further her "probable date of release" would be 27-02-2022 if the fine is not paid." The letter also states that this date may change if the politician decides to us a parole facility.
But, with the possibility of her early release more of reality following the letter, has sent ripples in the Tamil Nadu political circle. After Sasikala's dramatic exit in 2017, before surrendering at the court in Bengaluru she had slapped Jayalalithaa's grave three times. Her entry back to Tamil Nadu's politics is sure to make the state's current leaders nervous.
