Jayalalithaa's nephew, niece move Madras HC to administer intestate properties

Chennai, Jan 19: The nephew and niece of former chief minister J Jayalalithaa have approached the Madras high court seeking letters of administration to administer her intestate properties, including Veda Nilayam residence at Poes Garden here.

Deepak and Deepa, both children of Jayalalithaa's brother Jayakumar, moved the court claiming that they are the second class legal heirs as per the Hindu Succession Act, and entitled to inherit the properties left behind by the former chief minister. According to the petitioners, they had approached the jurisdictional tahsildar on August 16, 2017, urging issue of legal heir certificates in their favour to inherit properties of Jayalalithaa, who died intestate on December 5, 2016. But through a reply dated September 22, 2017, the tahsildar refused to issue the certificates and directed the petitioners to obtain it by approaching the appropriate civil court.

Claiming that there were no other surviving legal heirs for Jayalalithaa apart from them, they said, "Due and diligent search has been made for a Will but none was found." As the lawful children of Jayalalithaa's brother, who are entitled to inherit the intestate properties, the duo has approached the court seeking to issue letters of administration in their favour.

They have also filed a list of gold ornaments and precious stones, apart from immovable properties owned by Jayalalithaa totalling Rs 52.93 crore. They have also filed an undertaking to duly administer the properties, make a full and true inventory thereof and exhibit before the court within six months from grant of letters of administration, and to render true account of the properties and credits within one year.

The plea moved under the court's testamentary and intestate jurisdiction is likely to be taken up for hearing in the coming week.

PTI