Jayalalithaa released from Bangalore prison

Former Tamil Nadu chief minister J. Jayalalithaa was released from the central jail here after a Bangalore special court ordered her release Saturday, a day after the Supreme Court granted her bail.

"Jayalalithaa has left the jail... after completing the formalities," Karnataka Inspector General of Prisons (IGP) K.V. Gagandeep told IANS.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O. Pannerselvam, a few cabinet ministers and the ruling AIADMK's lawmakers were at the prison to receive her.

Hundreds of fans and party cadres gathered near the jail to greet her. She will drive down to the old airport in the city's eastern suburb to fly back to Chennai, about 350 km from here.

Earlier, Jayalalithaa's lawyers submitted to the judge a certified copy of the apex court order suspending her four-year jail term and granting interim bail till Dec 18. The special court Saturday ordered her release.

A three-judge bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice H.L. Dattu Friday stayed the four-year jail term sentence.

The special court Sep 27 had convicted Jayalalithaa in the Rs.66.65-crore disproportionate assets' case and sentenced her to four years simple imprisonment, with a fine of Rs.100 crore.

The court also issued separate orders to release Jayalalithaa's three associates -- Sasikala Natarajan, V. Sudhakaran and J. Elavarisi, after they furnished a bond of Rs.1 crore each and gave sureties as sought.