Kodanad murder-heist: SIT quizzes Jayalalithaa’s disowned foster son Sudhakaran
SIT interrogation focuses on Sudhakaran’s links with estate, where he was once a shareholder, and any knowledge of events leading up to the crime
VN Sudhakaran, the disowned foster son of late Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa, appeared before the Tamil Nadu Crime Branch-CID in Coimbatore on Wednesday (March 26) in the long-pending Kodanad estate heist-cum-murder case.
The development marks a significant step in the ongoing investigation into the 2017 crime involving a deadly robbery at Jayalalithaa’s private retreat in the Nilgiris that shocked the state.
Grilled for several hours
Sudhakaran, nephew of former AIADMK leader VK Sasikala, reached the CB-CID office at Gandhipuram around 11 am as mandated by a summons issued earlier this week.
Also read: Jayalalithaa’s Kodanad estate: Grand British bungalow to ‘house of murders’
He was questioned for several hours by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the April 23, 2017, incident in which a gang broke into the Kodanad estate, killed security guard Om Bahadur and assaulted another named Krishna Thapa, before fleeing with valuables.
Sources indicate that Sudhakaran’s interrogation focused on his past association with the estate, where he was once a shareholder, and any knowledge he might have about the events leading up to the crime.
Addressing the media after the questioning, Sudhakaran said he has responded to all the queries sought by the SIT.
“I shared everything I know about this case with the police. I responded to all their questions, and I have nothing more to say at this time,” he told reporters.
An inside job?
The Kodanad case has remained a political and legal flashpoint in Tamil Nadu since Jayalalithaa’s death in December 2016.
The estate, a sprawling 906-acre property nestled in the Nilgiris, was jointly owned by Jayalalithaa and Sasikala, with Sudhakaran holding a stake during the 1990s.
Also read: Why tranquil Kodanad is giving EPS sleepless nights
The heist, allegedly orchestrated by a gang led by C Kanagaraj, a former driver at Jayalalithaa’s Poes Garden residence, raised suspicions about the involvement of an insider, given the precision of the break-in and the gang’s apparent belief in a hidden stash of Rs 200 crore.
Political intrigue
While the robbers made off with watches, a crystal figurine and documents, the case has since spiralled into a web of conspiracy theories and political intrigue.
Sudhakaran’s appearance before the CB-CID follows a Madras High Court directive last year which ordered the SIT to probe 18 individuals named by arrested suspects.
His summons, issued on March 25, came after the team questioned Jayalalithaa’s former personal security officers and other key figures linked to the estate.
Also read: AIADMK MP adopts Amma's summer home village, dumps it after her death
CB-CID seeks Interpol help
Authorities are reportedly exploring whether Sudhakaran, who was disowned by Jayalalithaa in 1996 after his lavish wedding drew public ire, had any residual ties or insights into the estate’s operations that could shed light on the motive behind the heist.
The CB-CID has intensified its efforts in recent months, seeking Interpol’s assistance to trace international calls made to Kanagaraj, who died in a mysterious road accident days after the crime.
Masterminds still at large
With over 200 individuals questioned so far, the investigation is yet to pinpoint the masterminds, fuelling speculation about political vendetta and hidden agendas.
Also read: 5 key questions AIADMK must answer in its 50th year
Tamil Nadu’s ruling DMK has maintained that the probe fulfils its election promise to unravel the truth while the AIADMK has accused the government of targeting its leaders.