Former TN CM Jayalalithaa's aide Sasikala granted bail in preferential treatment in prison case
Bengaluru, Mar 11: Former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister late J Jayalalithaa's aide V K Sasikala and her sister-in-law J Ilavarasi were on Friday granted regular bail by a special court dealing with anti-corruption cases in connection with the alleged preferential treatment given to them during their jail term in the Bengaluru Central Jail in disproportionate assets case.
Along with them, the then assistant superintendent of Central Jail at Parappana Agrahara in the city and the prison security officer too appeared before the special judge K Lakshminarayana Bhat.
Sasikala and Ilavarasi were ordered to pay a bond of Rs three lakh, and will have to appear again on April 16.
The then Chief Superintendent and the Superintendent of the Central jail, who too are accused in this case, have got a stay from the Karnataka High Court against the ACB inquiry, sources said.
The case relates to the alleged preferential treatment to Sasikala during her stay in the Bengaluru jail in connection with a disproportionate assets case.
In 2017, the then Deputy Inspector General of Police (Prison) D Roopa had claimed that Sasikala was given preferential treatment and she was allowed to wear civil dress instead of the clothes prescribed for prisoners.
An inquiry conducted by a retired IAS officer on the directions of the state government reportedly revealed that a separate kitchen functioned for her inside the jail.
The Karnataka government had sanctioned the prosecution of accused people on December 30 last year, and the charge sheet was filed before the special court on January seven this year.
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Bengaluru: A new health report has revealed that over 75% of Karnataka's population screened in 2024 is either obese or overweight, highlighting an alarming rise in lifestyle-related health issues.
According to the Health of the Nation 2025 report by Apollo Hospitals, as cited by The New Indian Express on Tuesday, 56% of those screened were diagnosed as obese, while another 21% were classified as overweight.
The report underscores a growing public health crisis, driven by sedentary lifestyles, poor nutrition, and undiagnosed chronic conditions that often do not show visible symptoms. The annual report, which examined health data from over 2.5 million preventive screenings conducted across the Apollo ecosystem in India, reveals that symptom-based healthcare is increasingly insufficient to address these hidden health risks.
In Karnataka, the report found that 28% of the individuals screened were hypertensive, with half of them classified as pre-hypertensive. Diabetes was found in 20% of the population, with an additional 25% falling into the pre-diabetic category. These figures reflect the rising metabolic stress among asymptomatic individuals, many of whom are unaware of their conditions.
Additionally, the report noted that 84% of the screened individuals in the state had low vitamin D levels, which can negatively impact bone health and immunity. Furthermore, 64% exhibited reduced flexibility, affecting musculoskeletal wellness.
Dr Prathap C. Reddy, Chairman of Apollo Hospitals, emphasised the need for India to shift towards a preventive health culture. "Early screening, personalised interventions, and health education should become integral to our homes, schools, and workplaces," TNIE quoted him as saying.
The report also highlighted several other health threats, including fatty liver disease, post-menopause health risks, and childhood obesity. Of the 2.5 million people screened nationally, 65% had fatty liver with 85% of those cases being non-alcoholic. Heart disease signs were present in 46% of asymptomatic individuals, while post-menopausal women saw a sharp increase in both obesity (from 76% to 86%) and diabetes (from 14% to 40%).
Childhood obesity is also becoming a significant concern, with the report revealing that 28% of college students were either overweight or obese, and 19% showed signs of prehypertension.
Mental health issues, often under-reported, emerged as another area of concern, with 7% of women and 5% of men screened nationwide showing symptoms of clinical depression, particularly among the middle-aged population.
