Hyd HC dismisses plea for declaration of Jaya's assets as public property

Hyderabad: The Hyderabad High Court on Tuesday dismissed a plea filed by a city-based organisation seeking declaration of late J Jayalalithaa's assets located in Telangana as public properties.

A division bench of the high court, headed by Acting Chief Justice Ramesh Ranganathan, dismissed the public interest petition seeking a direction to Telangana government to confiscate the properties left behind by late AIADMK supremo with a cost of Rs 1 lakh.

Earlier, a public interest litigation seeking to take over the assets of late Jayalalithaa had been filed with the high court by Gareeb Guide Society, a voluntary organisation, which wanted the assets to be taken over as public property, as per the Succession Act.

The division bench observed that the petitioner has neither the locus standi nor the relief claimed by him is tenable in law.

The petitioner has embarked upon the present course of action only to gain cheap popularity at the cost the precious time of the court, it said.

"It is a sheer abuse of process of the court and he should pay for his mistake, so that, nobody would emulate his example," the HC said.

The writ petition stated that Jayalalithaa had left behind a commercial complex and a farm house in Telangana and she had not bequeathed the property to any other person.

Hence, the petitioner suggested that the government should appropriate the said assets to the state. The high court found that it was a "vexatious" litigation with no merits in it.

The court further directed the Telangana government to recover the fine from the petitioner, if he fails to pay it.