Deepa trying to take over Jayalalithaa's legacy: BJP

Soon after reports surfaced of former Tamil Nadu chief minister J. Jayalalithaa's niece Deepa Jayakumar being prohibited from entering the former's Poes Garden residence, the Bharatiya Janata party (BJP) on Monday claimed that the latter is trying to take over Amma's legacy, adding that this can be a contentious matter in the state's political front.

"Nobody had heard of Deepa Jayakumar until Jayalalithaa's death. She is now trying to take over her legacy, which can be a contentious matter. Therefore, her entry into Poes Garden being barred comes as no surprise. The matter should be resolved legally," BJP leader S. Prakash told ANI.

Earlier on Sunday, Deepa was not allowed to enter her aunt's house and was roughed up by private security guards.

Furthermore, Deepa alleged that her brother Deepak invited her to Poes Garden in order to kill her, so that he can stake claim of Veda Nilayam, the residence of Amma.

"He intentionally called me and very emotionally was trying to convince me. This was definitely a trap, this was a ploy to kill me," Deepa said.

Deepa said she was invited by her brother on the pretext of performing a puja inside the premise.

"He invited me to perform some puja on the pretext of which he had actually called me over there and I had no idea, I was terribly shocked. I am sure that this was a coup attempt by Sasikala, Dinakaran and Deepak," she said.

Deepa further informed that she has all the documents of the property and has already taken a legal course on this.

"I have all the documents, it used to belong to my grandmother. I have already have staked claim for the property, it is not only for the purpose of staking claim to the property, my aim is to stake claim of the legacy of my aunt including the party, and her esteemed valuable belongings whatever she cherished," she said.

She asserted that it was her "moral, ethical and legal right" to acquire Poes Garden, adding that she would seek the intervention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the same.

Meanwhile, Deepa's husband K. Madhavan lodged a complaint with the Police Commissioner over the morning incident that took place at the Poes Garden.

"We have given a complaint asking for protection for me and my wife Deepa. The incident that happened in the morning regarding that incident we gave complaint to the commissioner," Madhavan told ANI.