The state government has set a deadline of four months to acquire Veda Nilayam, former chief minister J Jayalalithaa’s residence in the upmarket Poes Garden area. The revenue department will soon unseal two rooms, presumably occupied by V K Sasikala, Jayalalithaa’s aide, with the help of Income Tax department in order to assess the value of the bungalow that was a political landmark.
The market value of the ten grounds property with the house was valued at Rs 72.09 crore as per Jayalalithaa’s affidavit filed for the 2016 assembly election. Chennai district collector V Anbuselvan and his team of revenue officials, along with officers of the survey, public works department and Income Tax department sleuths had conducted an inspection last week and measured every inch of the property apart from the sealed rooms.
“The I-T department asked for some more time to open these rooms, but they have now agreed to open them for us to measure. This will be done soon. Only then can we assess the value of the property,” Anbuselvan told
“The two rooms were sealed for our purpose. It is not that we have taken control of them. Revenue department is free to do whatever they want. It will not affect ownership, possession or control,” said a senior I-T official, seeking anonymity.
The plan is to complete the process of land acquisition in four months under the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act.
As per the acquisition law, the department will do a social impact assessment study with the help of a third party, if any, to assess the public purpose, estimation of affected families likely to be affected by the proposed acquisition.
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