Tamil Nadu Police question Sasikala over 2017 Kodanad murders

Tamil Nadu Police questioned ousted AIADMK leader VK Sasikala in Chennai on Thursday (April 21) over the sensational 2017 murders and robbery at former chief minister J Jayalalithaa’s house.

Sasikala was serving her sentence in a corruption case when a security guard was murdered at the estate and the bungalow was broken into. At the time, the police had said a few items, including a watch and a crystal rhinoceros, were stolen.

However, four other mysterious deaths made the case more complex. First, the key accused Kanagaraj, a former driver for Jayalalithaa, died in an accident near Edappadi, former chief minister E Palaniswami’s hometown. On the same day, the second accused Sayan too met with an accident. Though he survived, his wife and daughter died. Later, the computer operator at the estate died by suicide.

The murders were linked by some to the political churn in the state after Jayalalithaa’s death. Although it was Sasikala who had made EPS the CM before she was sent to jail, he joined hands with rival O Panneerselvam, or OPS, who had earlier rebelled against Sasikala, to oust her from the party.

After the DMK government came to power last year, the police told the court they would have to further investigate the case following fresh information. EPS called the renewed probe “an attempt to implicate me”.

Chief Minister MK Stalin denied the allegation. “Investigation into the Kodanadu dacoity and murder is a poll promise. We are doing this with the court’s permission. There need be no fear if one is not guilty.”