CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has directed the Income Tax department to file a counter-affidavit to the petitions filed by J Deepa, legal heir of late chief minister J Jayalalithaa, challenging the intimation on tax arrears of Rs 13.69 crore owed by the late leader.
Justice C Saravanan issued the direction on Wednesday and adjourned the hearing by two weeks. Deepa had filed the petition against the August 4, 2025, letter sent by the I-T department intimating her that there is a tax demand for `23.69 crore against Jayalalithaa.
Her counsel insisted for grant of stay against the demand of tax but senior standing counsel for I-T AP Srinivas objected for issuing stay. He said counter-affidavits have already been in earlier proceedings and the impugned letter was an intimation sent to the petition on the tax demand.
The counsel submitted that the petition is not maintainable since the impugned letter is an intimation and recovery will be made against the properties of the deceased leader if the amount is not paid.
He also informed the court that Deepa’s brother J Deepak, another legal heir of Jayalalithaa, had requested for payment of the tax demand in installments and the department permitted him to pay 50% of the arrears in six EMIs.