Bangalore: The Karnataka high court on Tuesday granted conditional bail to AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa in the disproportionate assets case. The bail order came after prosecution lawyer Bhawani Singh told the court that there was no objection in granting conditional bail to Jayalalithaa. AIADMK supporters who had gathered near the court celebrated the news and were seen dancing.
Last week the high court vacation bench deferred hearing till October 7 the bail pleas of Jayalalithaa and her close aide Sasikala and her relatives VN Sudhakaran and Elavarasi, who were also convicted in the case.
Jaya was sentenced to four years in jail and Rs 1 billion fine after being found guilty by a special court in the 18-year-old disproportionate assets case. She was convicted for misusing her office during her first stint as chief minister from 1991 to 1996 to accumulate wealth beyond her known sources of income.
Before the bail order came in, a poster threatening Kannadigas living in Tamil Nadu if the convicted party supremo Jayalalithaa was not released from jail created a controversy. "Warning... immediately release people's chief minister Amma... otherwise we will hold Kannadigas living in Tamil Nadu as hostages," the huge poster put up in certain locations in south Chennai said.
The AIADMK, however, has distanced itself from the posters and said it would discipline the person who did it for cheap publicity. The poster has the names of social welfare minister B Valarmathi, Tiruchy Lok Sabha MP, P Kumar, VP Kalairajan, MLA and a party functionary Thousand Lights KC Vijay.
AIADMK south Chennai (North) district party secretary VP Kalairajan claimed, "This has been done by an expelled functionary KC Vijay. This was done without our knowledge". Kalairajan said the party has ordered the immediate removal of posters in locations wherever it was put up.
"We are guided by people's chief minister Amma's lofty ideals to serve people without any discrimination. The Tamil Nadu government is committed to the welfare of all sections of people."
Bangalore police commissioner MN Reddy spoke to his Chennai counterpart about the poster and was assured that Kannadigas in Tamil Nadu are safe. Chennai Police have removed it and promised to take action against "miscreants".
