Sasikala's claim in court unadulterated lie: Karunanidhi

DMK President M Karunanidhi today dismissed as 'absolute unadulterated lie' the claim made by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa's close aide Sasikala in a court that he had offered to exclude her from a wealth case against the AIADMK supremo if she turned against her.

"That is an absolute, unadulterated lie. It is baseless and (Sasikala) has provided wrong information to the court," he said answering a set of questions in a statement.

The 88-year-old leader said there was no basis in Sasikala's statement made in the special court in Bangalore.

She had told the court that Karunanidhi, the then Chief Minister, had in 1996 offered to exclude her from the wealth case against Jayalalithaa if she turned against her.

He claimed it was "as false" a statement as was made by Sasikala on the expenses regarding the controversial marriage of Jayalalithaa's disowned foster son V Sudhakaran. She had said the expenses were borne by the bride's family (during the first term of Jayalalithaa as Chief Minister during 1991-95) and not by the AIADMK leader, he said.

On December 22, Sasikala had told the special court, trying the disproportionate wealth case against Jayalalithaa, herself, Sudhakaran and her relative Ilavarasi, that initially a case was filed only against the AIADMK supremo. But two months later the names of herself, and others were included.

"The reason for this is that during the two-month period, Karunanidhi told us he would would let me off if I turn against Jayalalithaa. I did not agree for this. Hence, I have been included in this case", she had told Judge M S Balakrishna.