Sasikala writes to prison authorities; doesn't want RTIs about her release date answered

Late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa’s close aide Sasikala Natarajan has written a letter to Parappana Agrahara Prison Chief Superintendent in Bengaluru, requesting him not to entertain any application of the third parties under right to information related to her imprisonment, date of release and any other details connected to her imprisonment. Former AIADMK leader Sasikala Natarajan is serving her jail term after her conviction in a disproportionate assets case.

READ | HC Directs Facebook, Google To Remove Offending Material On Sasikala

On September 3, an RTI was filed by activist Narasimha Murthy seeking information on the release date of prisoner Sasikala Natarajan from Parappana Agrahara Prison. Replying to the RTI plea, the Public Information office of Central Prison said that Sasikala’s probable release date would be 27-01-2021 based on the default fine amount of Rs 10 crore to be paid before the release as imposed by the Supreme Court. She will have to serve 13 more months in prison upto 27-02-2022 if she fails to pay the said amount.

READ | Sasikala To Be Released From Jail In Jan 2021 If Fine Paid: Bengaluru Prison's RTI Reply

Republic TV learnt from sources close to the family that they were unhappy about the release date appearing on media, which might also cause hurdles to the release of Sasikala from prison. Sasikala’s nephew and Amma Makkal Munnettra Kazagam (AMMK) chief TTV Dhinakaran is seeking legal opinions to try for an early release based on recognition of ‘Good Conduct’.
 
After reports of her release surfaced, there was another RTI which was filed with the Home Department by the same RTI activist seeking the guidelines followed by the prison manual if they have to release a prisoner. Replying to that RTI enquiry, the Under Secretary of Home Department of the Government replied that as per the guidelines for premature release of life issued vide G.O. No HD 384 Para 2015, “Female prisoner undergoing life sentence who has attained the age of 60 years and has served actual imprisonment of 9 years with remission, but only after 7 years of actual imprisonment without remission.”

Sasikala Natarajan is not entitled to get the privilege of early release as per the guidelines. Only prisoners with the conviction of life sentence are eligible to be released on the recognition of Good Conduct.  
 
Sasikala has to serve three years and about 11 months, out of the four years sentence awarded by the Bengaluru trial court. She had earlier spent 21 days in Parappana Agrahara jail after conviction by the trial court in September 2014.
 
The Supreme Court on February 14, 2017 restored Sasikala's conviction in the disproportionate assets case, awarding four years jail term to her, Illavarasi and Sudhakaran, besides imposing a fine of Rs 10 crore each.

READ | Sasikala May Be Released On January 27, 2021: Prison Department Officials