Amma gets bail, Tamil Nadu gets early "Diwali gift"

The Supreme Court of Friday gave conditional bail to former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu Jayalalithaa in corruption case. As soon as the news came, the supporters of AIADMK chief bursted in joy, celebrating their “victory”. They started burning crackers and distribute sweets on hearing that “Amma”, as Jayalalithaa is fondly called by her supporters will be released from jail.

 

It has been learnt that the in the Bangalore jail where she has been lodged since Sept 27, she stayed in a small cell that included a desk and ceiling fan.  In her three weeks in jail, former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa used to wake up early, going through newspapers for several hours, eating curd rice for lunch, and taking a walk in the evening. Karnataka Deputy Inspector General (prisons) P.M. Jaisimha told media that she she was disciplined and used to abide by the prison rules. She never made any demand in terms of facilities or requirements either to the court or the jail warden. Though Jaya is Tamil, she used to converse with jail staff in Kannada and is very fluent in English. It has also been learnt that Jayalalithaa talked often with the three aides who were convicted along with her - Sasikala Natarajan, V. Sudhakaran and J. Ilavarisi. But after her bail petition was cancelled in Karnataka High court earlier, she refused to meet ministers and other leaders from her party for over a fortnight.

 

But now, since the top court has granted her conditional bail, Jayalalithaa can breathe a sigh of relief. The 66-year-old was granted bail by the Supreme Court on medical grounds. While granting bail, the Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice HL Dattu directed her counsel, constitution expert Fali Nariman that the adoring workers of her party, the AIADMK, respect law and order in Tamil Nadu and not resort to violence. The directive came after BJP leader Subramanian Swamy has complained that following Ms Jayalalithaa's conviction, her followers allegedly made threats and damaged property in violent protests.

 

The apex court also asked her lawyers to ensure that all paperwork for her appeal is completed by December 18, or her bail could be cancelled. "If the paperwork is not filed within two months, then we won't give you even a single day more." The top court said it will then ask the Karnataka High Court on December 18 to decide her appeal within three months to ensure a faster trial than the current case, which dragged on for nearly two decades. Fali Nariman assured the court that they would ready documents within six weeks and would ask for speedy disposal of her appeal. Earlier, ahead of the crucial verdict, Jayalalithaa’s followers across Tamil Nadu performed special prayers at temples on Friday morning seeking divine intervention for her bail. The followers is learnt to have cancel the party’s foundation day celebrations had “Amma’s” bail petition cancelled in the Supreme Court. But the SC gave AIADMK supremo’s followers an early “Diwali gift” by granting her bail.

 

Jayalalithaa, three were convicted in the 18 year-old corruption case by a special court in Bangalore. The case was filed in 1996 by Subramanian Swamy, now a BJP leader. On September 27, a special court in Bangalore convicted Jayalalithaa after finding her guilty of amassing wealth disproportionate to her known sources of income during her first tenure as chief minister from 1991 to 1996. The court sentenced her to four years in jail and imposed a fine of Rs. 100 crore.

 

Her friend Sasikala Natarajan and two others were also given jail terms. The case against her was transferred in 2001 from Tamil Nadu to neighbouring Karnataka on the orders the Supreme Court. Following her conviction, Jayalalithaa was disqualified as a legislator in accordance with a Supreme Court ruling and had to step down as TN’s Chief Minister. Since then she was lodged in Bangalore Central Prison as ‘Prisoner 7402’.