Sasikala files review petition in SC against her conviction

Former All India Anna Dravida Munneta Kazhagam (AIADMK) general secretary V.K. Sasikala has filed a review petition against her conviction in the Supreme Court.

Sasikala had suffered a major jolt with the apex court upholding the trial court's judgement convicting her in the 21-year-old disproportionate assets case against her. With this, Sasikala stood disqualified to take over as Tamil Nadu chief minister after late J. Jayalalithaa's demise.

The Karnataka Government had challenged the state High Court verdict acquitting Jayalalithaa, Sasikala and her two relatives - V.N. Sudhakaran and Elavarasi - for allegedly amassing disproportionate assets to the tune of Rs. 66.65 crore during her first term as the chief minister from 1991 to 1996.

This development comes amid an enraging power struggle between the two warring factions of the AIADMK - one led by former chief minister O. Panneerselvam and current Chief Minister E. Palanisamy.

The two factions, however, are now looking for a merger, talks of which gained ground after an FIR was registered against Sasikala's nephew and ousted party leader T.T.V. Dinakaran for bribing an Election Commission official for staking claim of the 'Two Leaves' party symbol, in the wake of the by-polls in the R.K. Nagar constituency.

Following this, Sukesh Chandrasekhar, Dhinakaran's alleged middleman, was arrested by police for striking a deal of Rs. 50 crore to help the AIADMK faction keep the 'two leaves' poll symbol.

The Panneerselvam-led group later categorically stated that the merger between the two factions would not be possible until an affidavit stating the removal of Sasikala and Dinakaran from the party is submitted to the Election Commission.