Supreme Court directs Sasikala's husband to surrender in Lexus car case

CHENNAI: The Supreme Court on Friday directed M Natarajan, husband of jailed AIADMK leader VK Sasikala, to surrender in connection with illegal import of a luxury car from the UK.

Along with Natarajan, his nephew V Bhaskaran has also been asked to surrender in the Lexus car case.

Following the surrender, they, however, can appeal for bail by paying Rs 25 lacs as surety.

Last month, the Madras High Court had confirmed the two-year jail term awarded to Natarajan for evasion of customs duty.

The court had also confirmed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Special Court 2010 ruling of two-year jail for three others in the case.

In 1994, Natarajan had imported a new Lexus car forging the papers to show that it made in 1993 and thus evaded a duty of over Rs 1.6 crore.

The CBI had registered a case against Natarajan, Baskaran, Balakrishnan, his son Yogesh Balakrishnan and two officials of the Indian Bank, of which one turned approver.

With Balakrishnan on the run, the case proceeded against the remaining four who were convicted by the CBI court. They moved the Madras High Court against it.

(With IANS inputs)