New Delhi, Feb. 8 -- Former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa's niece, J. Deepa, has filed a petition before the Supreme Court, contesting the Karnataka High Court's January 13 ruling, which upheld the confiscation of both movable and immovable assets in the multi-crore disproportionate assets case. Deepa's appeal is predicated on the Supreme Court's 2017 decision that abated proceedings against Jayalalithaa following her demise. She contends that the abatement nullifies any posthumous designation of Jayalalithaa as a convict, thereby rendering the ongoing confiscation of her assets legally untenable.

In her submission, Deepa asserts that as the legally recognized heir to Jayalalitha, she has an unequivocal right to reclaim all a...