Non-bailable warrant issued against Sasikala

BENGALURU: A Lokayukta special court here has issued a non-bailable warrant (NBW) against V K Sasikala, confidante of late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, after she failed to appear before it to face hearing in a case regarding alleged “VIP treatment” given to her during her incarceration at a prison.

Sasikala, convicted in a disproportionate assets case in 2017, was lodged at the Parappana Agrahara Central Prison in the city.

The court also issued NBW to another accused Ilavarasi, Sasikala’s sister-in-law.

Two persons who had provided sureties to the former AIADMK leader were also issued notices before the court adjourned the hearing on Monday to October 5.

Sasikala and Ilavarasi were convicted by a special court in the disproportionate assets case against Jayalalithaa and them, and spent four years in the Central Prison here.

During this time, they were accused of bribing prison officials to obtain privileges and special treatment not accorded to convicts.

In May this year, the High Court of Karnataka had quashed the case against three prison officers who were accused along

with Sasikala.