Tamil Nadu govt takes possession of Jaylalithaa's seized assets including gold sword, crown, luxury watches

A day after a Bengaluru court’s ruling, the Karnataka government officially handed over the seized assets to Tamil Nadu on Friday.

Among the luxurious possessions transferred were a gold sword, a golden crown, and a peacock-motif golden girdle.

These, along with a trove of other valuables, had been stored in the Karnataka Vidhana Soudha treasury for years.

The inventory included an astonishing 27 kg 558 grams of gold jewellery, 1,116 kg of silver, and documents related to 1,526 acres of land. The transfer was conducted in the presence of court and government officials.

What includes Jayalalithaa’s seized wealth?

Photographs of the seized items, taken during legal proceedings, offer insight into the extravagant riches amassed by the late leader.

One image features a meticulously crafted golden crown, while another captures rows of intricate jewellery pieces displayed for inventory.

A sword, adorned with engravings, was among the prominent items catalogued alongside other high-value objects.

One particularly striking find was a golden sculpture, placed in a red velvet box. The piece featured a finely detailed relief design of a human face with an elaborate pattern extending downward.

Legal dispute over ownership

The assets had been entangled in a legal battle for years. Jayalalithaa’s niece and nephew, J. Deepa and J. Deepak, had sought ownership of the confiscated wealth, claiming their rights as legal heirs. However, in July 2023, a special court ruled that the assets—seized as part of the corruption case—rightfully belonged to the Tamil Nadu government.

Though the transfer was initially scheduled for March 2024, it was delayed after Deepa and Deepak challenged the ruling in the Karnataka High Court. On January 13, 2025, the high court dismissed their petitions, reaffirming the special court’s decision and clearing the way for the Tamil Nadu government to take possession.

Court stunned by unopened luxury watches

During the valuation process, officials in the special court were taken aback when they discovered three luxury watches—still sealed in their original boxes, according to a New India Express report.

These timepieces were among 468 confiscated items, including gold and diamonds, that were documented before Special Court Judge H.A. Mohan (CBI and ED Cases) for the official transfer.

Believed to have been gifted to Jayalalithaa, the watches were unsealed for the first time in court for valuation.

The process, which began at 11:30 AM, was conducted under tight security, with six trunks transported from the treasury and court doors closed to the public.

Legal representatives of Jayalalithaa’s heirs attempted to pause the proceedings, citing a pending Supreme Court appeal.

However, after authorities confirmed that the Supreme Court had dismissed their plea, the valuation continued.

Earlier, thousands of silk sarees and pairs of footwear belonging to Jayalalithaa had been handed over to her former personal assistant, Bhaskar.

The valuation of the remaining three trunks was completed on Saturday and the assets were transferred to the Tamil Nadu government.