In a major setback for AIADMK General Secretary Sasikala Natarajan, who was aspiring to be the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, the Supreme Court on Tuesday restored her conviction in a disproportionate assets case.

A division bench of of Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose and Justice Amitava Roy set aside a Karnataka High Court order staying the conviction of Sasikala and three by a trial court.

The court directed Sasikala and the others to "immediately" surrender before the trial court and ordered them to serve the remaining portion of their jail term.

Justice Roy, in a concurring judgment, expressed deep concern over the "escalating menace of corruption in society".

After the apex court's direction, AIADMK General Secretary V.K. Sasikala sacked acting Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam and 19 leaders from the party.

All of them were dismissed on charges of acting against the party's policies and principles.

Those sacked included School Education Minister K. Pandiarajan and former ministers C. Ponnaiyan, P.H. Pandian, Natham R. Viswanathan, K.P. Munusamy and P. Mohan.

The list does not include the names of AIADMK legislators and MPs who have supported Panneerselvam in the power struggle against Sasikala.