The BJP government at the Centre has permitted AIADMK chief J Jayalalithaa to pay income tax with compound interest.

The I-T department had earlier filed a criminal case against Jayalalithaa and her confidante Sasikala Natarajan, who were partners in the erstwhile Sasi Enterprises, for not filing I-T returns for 1991-92 and 1992-93, which was punishable under the Income Tax Act, 1961.

The case is currently being fought in the court of the additional chief metropolitan magistrate (economic offences) in Chennai, and the next hearing in the matter is slated for December 1.