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Bangalore, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on Saturday was sentenced to four years in jail and fined Rs 100 crore after being convicted of corruption by a Special Court in Bangalore. She was to be taken into custody immediately but was instead taken to hospital after she complained of dizziness following the sentencing.
She has been reportedly been convicted under Prevention of Corruption Act Section 13 (1) (E), and will have to resign immediately. This effectively also prevents her from contesting elections for the next 10 years unless her conviction is overturned by a higher court.
Close aide V K Shashikala, foster son Sudhakar, and another aide J Illavarasi — all of whom are co-accused in the case — have also reportedly been convicted in the same case.
The verdict is likely to upend the state’s political setup since there is no clear successor to Jayalalithaa, although senior AIADMK leader and Tamil Nadu Finance Minister O Paneerselvam is widely tipped to take over.
In light of a deteriorating law-and-order situaton on the state, Governor K Rosaiah has called for an emergency meeting with the Home Secretary. Reports of clashes between AIADMK and DMK supporters are trickling in. Outside Jayalalithaa’s Poes Garden residence, enraged supporters attacked mediapersons, injuring a few, and smashed their cameras.
In Bangalore earlier in the evening, violent protests erupted outside the Parappana Agrahara jail premises, where the special court has been set up to try the disproportionate assets case against Jayalalithaa. Sources said the police have taken about 500 persons into custody and have extended prohibitory orders against assembly from one to five kilometres from the special court premises.
The poltiical reaction to the conviction was quick, and predictable.
“We are happy about the verdict,” DMK spokesperson T K S Elangovan said, but added that the party would not pressure the Governor to dismiss the government or do anything unconstitutional.
“We are not going to demand for any elections or to remove the Government, they (AIADMK) have the numbers. Let them elect the new leader,” “he said, adding that today’s development will reflect on the 2016 Assembly Election.
Although it was Subramanian Swamy who first filed a private complaint against J Jayalalithaa in the disproportionate assets case, it was during the term of the DMK – the AIADMK’s arch rival in Tamil Nadu – in 1996 that the first information report (FIR) was registered against Jayalalithaa for having
Earlier this morning, Special Court judge John Michael D’Cunha adjourned the judgement at makeshift court in the Parappana Agrahara prison complex in Bangalore after crowds of AIADMK supporters at the court premises disturbed the proceedings.
Supporters of Jayalalithaa tried to breach the police barricades and enter the court premises, resulting in chaotic scenes outside the court room.
The judge ordered the police to control the mob and bring the situation under control within two hours in order to prevent any untoward incident within the court complex.
A high alert has been declared at several places in Bangalore city as thousands of persons from Tamil Nadu have arrived in the city to show their support for their leader. The police have imposed prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC in the vicinity of the court “to prevent any public disorder and loss of public property”. More than 6,000 security personnel have been deployed, anticipating thousands of AIADMK supporters, according to reports.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa arrived in Bangalore Saturday morning along with her close aide V K Shashikala and foster son Sudhakar, both of whom are co-accused in the case.
Jayalalithaa, who left her house in Chennai at around 9.10 a.m., looked calm and composed. Sitting behind were Sasikala and J Ilavarasi, who is also charged in the case.
AIADMK sources said that senior government secretaries are accompanying Jayalalithaa, while senior ministers from her cabinet have already reached Bangalore.
Meanwhile, Jayalaithaa’s supporters started gathering early at the Chief Minister’s residence in Chennai to show solidarity with her. Senior leaders in the party said that an adverse judgement in the case will not affect the party chief.
Security has been tightened on the borders of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, say reports.
The police don’t want to take any chances as they don’t want a repeat of a February 2000 incident where three college students were burnt alive in Dharmapuri by AIADMK activists protesting against a special court verdict in which Jayalalithaa was sentenced to one year’s imprisonment.
The case was transferred to Bangalore’s Special Court in 2003 by the Supreme Court on a petition filed by DMK leader K Anbazhagan who had expressed doubts over conduct of fair trail in Tamil Nadu as Jayalalithaa ruled the state then.
CASE TIMELINE:
1996:
June 14: Dr Subramanian Swamy files complaint against J Jayalalithaa
June 21: The Principal District and Sessions Judge directs Letika Saran, IPS, to investigate the private complaint
June 18: The then (DMK) Government directs DVAC to register an FIR against Jayalalithaa for allegedly possessing unaccounted assets
1997:
June 4: Charge sheet filed for Rs 66.65 crore disproportionate assets
October 21:
Court frames charges against Jayalalithaa, Sasikala, Sudhakaran, and Ilavarasi
2002:
March: Jayalailthaa takes over as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister again
February 28, 2003: DMK leader K Anbazhagan moves Supreme Court for transfer of trial from Chennai
November 18: Apex Court orders transfer of trial to a Special Court in Bangalore while observing that ‘fair trial was not going’ in Chennai
December 2003 to March 2005: Special Court set up at Bangalore; B V Acharya named Special Public Prosecutor for the case
2010:
January 22: Supreme Court clears way for trial of DA case and trial commences
Dececember 2010 to February, 2011: Witnesses re-examined by the prosecution
2011:
May 16: AIADMK back in power, Jayalalithaa becomes Chief Minister again
Octtober 20 & 21; Nov 22 & 23: Jayalalithaa appears in person, answers Special Court’s questions
2012:
August 13: G Bhavani Singh appointed as SPP
August 23: Anbhazhagan moves HC questioning appointment
August 26: Karnataka Govt removes Singh as SPP
August-September: Singh moves Apex Court which reinstates him
September 30: Special Court judge Balakrishna retires.
Oct. 29: HC appoints John Michael Cunha as judge of Special Court
2014:
Aug. 28: Trial concludes, Special Court says verdict will be pronounced on September 20
Sept. 15: Jayalalithaa requests for change of locations for security reasons
Sept. 16: Special Court allows Jayalalithaa’s plea, orders for shifting venue near Bangalore Central prison; postpones verdict to September 27
