Ex-AIADMK general secretary, VK Sasikala, who was also a close aide of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, has been released after serving a jail term of four years in a corruption case at a prison in Bengaluru.

Parappana Agrahara Jail Superintendent V Sheshamurthy reportedly said, "Yes, she has been formally released." Sasikala will continue to be at Victoria Hospital for four or five days more, where she is currently being treated for the novel coronavirus infection. Confirming that she is conscious, alert and well oriented, one of the hospital authorities reportedly said, "She is not fit for discharge as of Wednesday. She is being given intermittent oxygen supply and is stable. She will have to stay in the hospital for another three days. Her family is yet to decide on getting her discharged. If they insist on moving her out of the hospital on Wednesday, it will be recorded as "discharged against medical advice." We might do another RT-PCR test as a formality."

Sasikala was sentenced to four years in prison in February 2017 in the Rs 66 crore disproportionate assets case along with her sister-in-law J Ilavarasi and and former CM Jayalalithaa's foster son V N Sudhakaran. Days ahead of her scheduled release, the expelled AIADMK leader was diagnosed with the Covid-19 infection on Thursday in her third test after two earlier tests - a rapid antigen test and an RT-PCR test - had returned negative on Wednesday.