Man claiming to be Jayalalithaa's son arrested; court says he forged papers

The Madras HC said that the accused had also forged documents

The Madras High Court on Monday directed the police to arrest a man who claimed to be the son of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, saying he had not only cheated the court but also forged documents.

Justice R Mahadevan gave the direction after perusing the report filed by the Inspector of Police, Central Crime Branch, which was submitted in a sealed cover.

The report said petitioner J Krishnamoorthy was the son of one Vasanthamani and not Jayalalithaa, as falsely claimed by him.

It said old stamp papers were purchased from a stamp vendor and the documents were forged.

"He has not only cheated the court but also prepared forged documents," said the judge and directed police to arrest him. He then posted the case for further hearing to April 10.

On March 17, the court had reprimanded the man and questioned the genuineness of documents submitted by him.

"I can send this man straightaway to jail. I will ask police officers to take him to jail now itself," Justice R Mahadevan had said.

The judge had directed him to appear before the Commissioner of Police the next day and hand over original documents for verification.

Krishnamoorthy had moved the court claiming he was born to Jayalalithaa and late Telugu actor Shoban Babu. He had submitted some documents, including a 'deed of adoption' and sought the court's help to declare him as her son and hence entitled to her properties, including the Poes Garden home.

He had also sought a direction to the DGP to provide him security, as he feared threats from the family of Jayalalithaa's aide and AIADMK General Secretary V K Sasikala.

The judge had said the petitioner had "fabricated" the documents and said even if these were placed before an LKG student, he would say they are fabricated.

The judge also noted that the photo attached by the petitioner was available in public domain and asked if he thought anyone could just walk in and initiate PIL proceedings.

He had then directed Additional Public Prosecutor Emilias to ascertain the genuineness of the documents.

The petitioner had claimed that he was born in 1985 and that a year later he was given in adoption to the family of Erode-based Vasanthamani, who reportedly worked in former Chief Minister M G Ramachandran's household in the late 1980s.

He said the 'adoption deed' had photos and signatures of Jayalalithaa, Shoban Babu and Vasanthamani on the rear and the signature of M G Ramachandran as 'witnesses' to adoption.

To this, the judge had noted that the late Chief Minister M G Ramachandran was not able to move even his hand around the time the document was allegedly prepared.

"But the document shows that he has signed. This man (petitioner) has fabricated the document," he had said.